Professional Documents
Culture Documents
1. INTRODUCTION
The growing level of urbanisation in the developing countries which tends to
follow a trend of concentration in large urban areas has led to an expression of concern
by policy makers and the citizens at large, on the poor environmental conditions resulted
by the absence of adequate availability of infrastructure facilities in the urban areas.
From the traditional areas of water supply, transport and sanitation facilities, of late, such
concern has spilled over to that of solid waste management too. Such a growing concern
for increased and improved level of solid water management operations in urban areas
has been primarily due to the increasing awareness of the public about the linkage
between the epidemic health hazards often occuring in the large urban areas and the
deterorating effects of unmanaged solid wastes on the quality of drinking water, drainage
system etc.
Such concern of the governments of the developing countries is also reflective of
their understanding of the role and importance of urban areas in their national
development. A considerable proportion of the GDP of the developing countries is in
general, estimated to be accounted by their urban areas. The ability of the urban areas
which are the backbone of their national settlement system to support productive public
and private sector economic activities is severely constrained by the poor service delivery
at the first instance and the deteriorating quality and performance of such infrastructure at
later stages.
Inspite of the clear awareness and concern of the governments of developing
countries on the overall need for improving the infrastructure in urban areas, the
emphasis on various components has been varied. While the actions and efforts taken by
the governments for improving the water supply conditions in urban areas has been just
and fairly adequate, the same on solid waste management operations has been dismal.
Studies indicate that in many urban areas in developing countries, only about 60 per cent
of the refuse is collected, the population coverage has been less than 50 per cent, services
operated by public authorities are inefficient and that uncontrolled and indiscriminate
dumping is widely prevalent.
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By far, the biggest maintenance problem is faced in case of the vehicles. While
minor repairs and mechanical works of the refuse collector vehicles/tractors are done in
the municipal workshops, for other major works the vehicles are normally sent outside
workshops selected on quotation basis. This involves considerable delay in their repair
and leads to strain on the remaining vehicles.
In general, projects implemented with external assistance particularly contribution
in terms of machinery and materials have been found to suffer because of maintenance
problems for want of adequate spare parts and the financial capacity of the user beyond
their capacity to import such spares from abroad. Use of alternate brands of mechanical
and electrical components as replacements quite often does not solve the problem on a
long term basis.
Normally the disposal sites do not have proper approach road, check post, staff
and equipment. This results in the vehicles depositing the waste wherever convenient
and allowing unauthorised persons visiting disposal sites for selective rag-picking.
d) Lack of Coordination Departments
Infrastructure facilities particularly solid waste and drainage require effective co-
ordination among the various development agencies of other/related activities. Effective
coordination particularly between departments providing various utilities and solid waste
management employees could ensure efficient and uninterrupted service. For instance,
lack of street sweeping or garbage collection can increase costs for road, sewer and drain
maintenance as accumulated material interferes with proper use or maintenance of these
facilities. Similarly, improper maintenance of the roads may hinder the movement and
ability of the garbage collection vehicles in performing their operations.
e) Lack of Effective control on Solid Waste Operation
Normally supervision of the solid waste removal operations is minimal and left
fully to the discretion of the field staff to organise themselves. With little accountability
and absence of proper maintenance of daily activity reporting, sweepers start designing
their own schedules of visit and frequency to different areas resulting in unattended areas.
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possible, the vehicles that carry and transport the wastes should be tipping in nature so
that loading and unloading is easier to handle.
c) Disposal of wastes
Quite often any public vacant space irrespective of its location and its
surroundings, forms the dumping yard in the urban areas. While in the beginning such
sites are used by neighbouring population as a convenient dumping point, over time,
either due to the distant location of the identified site or due to lack of any other space,
the public authorities themselves opt for dumping the waste in such locations regularising
those areas as dumping sites. This short term measure continues as a permanent solution.
Identification of disposal sites is of crucial importance and should done with due
consideration to the location of residential areas, surface and sub-surface water sources,
distance from the town, adequacy for a longer period etc.
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iii) Land availability for dumping : There is an increasing concern over the availability
of land required for disposal. For example Delhi has five landfill sites namely Ghazipur,
Bhalaswa, Tughlakabad, Hasthal and Mandwli and except. Ghazipur all others have been
filled. In Bombay too, the landfill sites of Deonar, Malad, Mulund, Marve and Gorai are
expected to last not more than another 30 years. In Bangalore, there are no defined
landfill sites and the waste is disposed along the highways radiating from the city, outside
the city at peripheral locations. In Madras, there are two major dumping grounds, at
Perungudi and Kodungaiyur which receive about 2000 mt of garbage every day. But they
are not sanitary landfills, are not fenced and do not have proper approach road to ensure
systematic dumping.
iv) Substantial unmanaged quantum : Nowithstanding the substantial removal of the
non combustible and reusable material in advance, the quantum the public authorities in
most cities are able to transport and dispose in any manner range from 60 to 80 per cent
only. The daily generation of solid waste is increasingly backlogged in terms of their
ability to transport and dispose of.
The above discussion indicates that the metropolitan and large cities in general
have a substantial quantum of generation, with a high organic content and are chronically
deficient in terms of proper disposal sites. In view of the above, any alternative should be
less space extensive, should be able to solve disposal of a substantial portion of the waste
generated and be financially self supportive in the long run.
In this context, one of the emerging technologies that holds promise for large
urban areas of developing countries, particularly India is the process of pelletisation of
the solid wastes and their use for energy generation purpose. The refuse derived fuel
generation plants typically have a magnetic separator to seive the metal particles and a
density separator to eliminate glass, ceramic, plastic, sand and stone pieces and residuals.
The operation separates the combustibles from the non combustible materials. The
combustible garbage is put through a rotary drier to get rid of the moisture before it is
made into pre-densified lumps for use as fuel. Such a process of production of pre-
densified lumps which is less energy consuming could be adopted wherever the outputs
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are to be used at the manufacturing site itself. However, where outputs are to be used
away from the manufacturing site, the process of production of varying sized pellets
could be adopted so that transport is made easier. For production of 1 M.T. of fuel
pellets, the garbage requirements is estimated to be about 4 to 5 M.T.
There are concerns about the applicability of such a technology in the developing
countries compared to the developed ones wherein because of the higher volume of paper
usage and content in the garbage, the calorific value of the waste is around 4000 Kcl.
Achieving such a high level of calorific value may not be possible in developing
countries wherein the reusable and materials amenable for recycling are removed in
advance by the rag-pickers. Nevertheless, notwithstanding the cost involved which needs
to be analysed in detail, studies indicate, that it is possible to add additives of biomass to
the solid wastes at appropriate stage in the process so that their calorific value is
enhanced to the required level. The moisture content of the garbage is another crucial
factor, that determines the suitability of the garbage for direct pelletisation purpose as a
greater level of drying of the garbage needs to be attempted when the moisture content is
high. Ideally, the moisture content of the garbage needs to be around 8 to 10 per cent.
There is great variation in the moisture content of the garbage in Indian conditions
depending on their location, availability of water etc. For example, in respect of Mumbai
it is estimated to be about 50 per cent. In case of Madras it is expected to be much lower
(about 30 per cent). Appropriate segregation of non-combustibles and drying of the
garbage would enhance the calorific value substantially requiring only marginal adequate
usage of additives.
The refuse derived pellets could be used as an alternative to coal or along with
coal in heat generation processes for electricity generation etc. One of the major
advantages of adoption of this technology would be that the net waste left out for
dumping would be only of the order of one third of the total used which would result in
substantial reduction in the land area required for disposal. Further, the waste discarded
by the separators could be used for public purposes such as filling of shallow areas and as
filling materials in the laying of road formations etc.
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7. CONCLUSIONS
The rapid population explosion taking place in large urban areas of developing
countries necessitates urgent and appropriate measures for effective management of solid
waste. Emphasis should be to integrate solid waste management and its requirements as
part of the general city development operations and plans/programmes. The concept of
source separation needs to be introduced initially in literate pockets so as to be extended
in wider context later. This practice would enable achieving a higher caloriffic value to
the organic and combustible garbage making it amenable for greater level of reuse,
recycling and additional energy generation. Substantial research and development effort
needs to be initiated to look into the possibilities of operationalising the pre-densification
and pelletisation process for wider applicability in the larger urban areas of developing
countries. To achieve quick and prompt repair of the transport vehicles, the possibility of
adopting the method of awarding annual maintenance contracts to selected companies
needs a positive closer scrutiny rather than following the system of awarding works to
workshops on quotation basis. With severe resources crunch faced by the local agencies
and public authorities, it is imperative to involve the private sector either fully or in part
operations. Role of NGOs and voluntary organisations in educating and motivating the
general public and also organising the informal sector workers for a systematic effort to
achieve a cleaner city, needs to be recognised and accommodated.
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8. CASE STUDY - 1
Management : Community Participation, Project Management, Private Sector
participation.
Summary
Lucknow, as in the case of most cities in India, has been struggling with the
problem of solid waste management. Muskan Jyoti Samiti is a Non-Governmental
Organisation (NGO) which has been successfully providing comprehensive solid waste
management services to a part of the city since 1094. Its operations include street
cleaning, garbage collection, sorting, transportation, disposal and vermi-composting. It
recovers the operation and maintenance cost from the households served.
Details of Case Study
Location
Lucknow is located Uttar Pradesh. It is the capital of the state.
Situation Before
The Municipal Corporation of Lucknow was unable to provide adequate and
efficient solid waste management services its population (about 1.7 million in 1991).
This led to the emergence of a few non-governmental solid waste management initiatives.
Lead Agency
Muskan Jyoti Samiti, an NGO in Lucknow.
Strategy
The inefficiency of the Municipal Corporation to keep the city clean led to the
formation of Muskan Jyoti Samiti (MJS) which decided to take up the task of efficient
garbage collection and disposal in Lucknow city. MJS also decided to get the community
to participate in this effort.
MJS first started its solid waste management operations in an upper middle class
locality in Lucknow, but did not achieve much success. It then moved to a lower-middle
class locality and succeeded in the effort. After successful operations in middle-class
localities, MJS expanded its activities to cover selected slums.
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CASE STUDY - 2
SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN PUNE
Name of City/Town: PUNE District: PUNE
Name of Municipal Body: PUNE Municipal Corporation Division: Pune
Address: Shivaji Nagar, State : Maharashtra
Pune - 411 005
Telephone : 550 1000 Fax : 550 1104
Email : Website:
Demography
1. Name of Officer In-Charge Dr.Arul M. Ravetkar,
Medical Officer of
Health
2. Area of Municipal Corporation/Council 264 sq. kms.
(Please provide map showing legal limits of municipal body)
(km2)
3. No. of wards/zones 4 Zones/14 Ward Offices
4. Total population (as per 1991 census) 15,66,651
5. Total population (as per 2001 census) 25,40,000
6. Population
Urban 13,00,000
Slums 12,40,000
1. Floating population 2,05,000 approx.
2. Total no. of household 5,25,000
generation of municipal solid waste
1. Total MSW generation (MT/day) 1000 MT
2. MSW generation (gms/capital/day) 390 gm
3. Of the total MSW generated
Quantity of domestic MSW (MT/day) 400
Quantity of commercial MSW (MT/day) 250
Quantity of industrial (non-toxic and non-hazardous) 0
waste (MT/day)
Quantity of waste from markets (MT/day) 50
Quantity of waste from hotels and restaurants 250
(MT/day)
1 Composition of MSW (Attach separate sheet)
Physical characteristics
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0 Biodegradable (%)
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unhygienic work is being abandoned. Lately the municipal board is using mechanical
transport for removing night soil.
The south-western fringe of the city present a different character. This area of the
fringe, particularly toward the Rounganga river, faces the problem of inundation,
therefore the built up area could not extend as much in this sector as in north west sector.
The intensity of landuse has increased along roadside only.
In the eastern fringe, which is very limited in area high mixed landuse intensity is
visible only among one or two villages, especially along roadside. Further, in north-east
the existance of I.A.P. camp on a wider area with its restricted land has also influenced
the land use pattern of the villages. Negligible changes have taken place in the eastern
parts of the fringe extending upto the river Nakatia. Due to the lack of transport facilities,
this area is least accessible.
To conclude, the landuse pattern in the fringe focucces the changes in relation to
industrial and residential developments. Whereas north, north-western sector shows
multiple landuses, the south-west fringe has developed an extensive landuse on roadside.
In the east while the southern part of the fringe has developed intensive agriculture, the
northern part has more vacant land due to its location further from the city centre.
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