Waste segregation: Lack of awareness among residents hits disposal

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 27

Lack of awareness among people regarding the segregation of waste at the point of generation (home) is affecting the proper disposal of garbage. The MC started the smart waste collection system around five years ago and the residents were told to keep separate containers for dry and wet waste.

However, majority of the residents are not following the MC guidelines and are throwing the entire waste in a single bin. All the waste we generate in the form of leftover food, peels and leaves of vegetables and fruits could easily be decomposed. The dry waste of plastic, glass, cardboard and other items are not easily decomposable.

The administration around a month ago had honoured around 50 families for segregating the waste as per the requirement in order to motivate others. However, the employees at collection vans reported that only a negligible number of residents were following the MC guidelines by using two bins.

The residents claim when the waste is collected in one van there is no use of separate segregation. The administration had installed a set of two bins alongside market places and roads to help segregation but at these places too, the lack of awareness among residents is quite evident.

Swaran Singh, a local resident, said, “The idea of segregation though is good but it is on papers only. At markets, where large bins are placed, people can be seen throwing waste indiscriminately. The same is lifted by automated vehicles and shifted away.”

Mayor Karamjit Singh Rintu said the people should religiously follow the segregation process as it would help the waste management process in the long run. “The residents should fulfill their responsibility of being good citizens by following the norms,” he said.