Need of Waste Management System in Rural Areas

There was a time when waste management was considered a necessity only in towns and cities as rural wastes were mostly biodegradable. But not now, as modern products with cheap plastic packaging materials, new waste fractions have reached rural areas over the years.

Influence of city culture of keeping one’s own house clean and unconcerned of the filth on surroundings is also becoming very common even in rural areas. Practice of discarding waste in open spaces, in open drains, roadsides  and open  burning of wastes here and there have to be gradually stopped if we want to remain healthy. These practices are resorted to by rural villagers as waste management system is almost non-existent in most rural villages and in the absence of an effective garbage collection and disposal system in place it also is unjust to blame the households of irresponsibility. Solely relying on an informal scrap dealer is not enough for managing wastes in villages as they don’t buy all kinds of wastes.

The  National Green Tribunal have given the responsibility to village authorities to manage wastes within their own jurisdictions. Therefore, villages need to rise up to the need to setup a waste management system in their own areas.

Managing one’s own garbage may vary from village to village  and therefore a sustainable approach should be worked out according to the local problems and needs. A stable source of income for managing the day to day operational expenses determines the real system sustainability.

 When it comes to treatment of waste, we should not get carried away by promises made by high-end technologies as  for rural areas/villages, technology should be simple, facilitative and cost effective. While planning for a rural village waste management system, it should never be construed that huge amount of revenue can be earned/generated through the idea of converting waste to resource.  No doubt, if waste is properly managed some waste can be converted to resource but it is learnt that amount of income generated by converting waste into products helps meet hardly 10% of the expenditures incurred. So the financial return on investment should not be the sole criterion for determining the success of waste management endeavours rather we should also measure it in terms of saving and preserving the environment, promoting better air, water and soil for the general wellbeing of it’s citizens.

It could also generate  employment  opportunities for destitute women, differently abled persons engaging them in segregation works, youths and others can be employed for driving garbage trucks, collecting waste from households, repurposing and use of waste material in making products that can be sold, etc.

For a healthy rural environment and quality living, proper waste management is indispensable in the current scenario and more so with the Plastic Waste Management Rules 2016 which was earlier applicable only in municipal areas have been extended to cover rural areas as well. The quantity of waste generated is increasing, especially non biodegredable and it is only expected to increase in the coming years and the waste generated can only be countered by an efficient waste management system.

Kelhousesi Rino

Member, Kuda Village

Waste management Committee.