As we know, Indore is known as the cleanest city in India and has bagged this title four times in a row. It has succeeded in implementing its well-designed plan on ground level. Some of creditable features are its door to door collection, mannerly segregation and disposal of different types of waste, having garbage transfer stations, conversion of waste to fuel, focusing on recycling and citizen co-operation as well. All these factors have together contributed towards Indore’s success. It is frugal innovation at its best.
Pune’s Path to Efficiency
Pune is gearing up to achieve a similar efficient waste management system. We already have a door-to-door collection system, community bin collection by dumper placers and collection from chronic places as well. Let’s dig into some of the organizations working in this field. The Pune Municipal Corporation can adopt innovative waste management methodologies from the strategies of Indore and other cities.
Learning from Indore
From developing new waste processing plants to encouraging people to segregate waste, Indore has done it all. One of the unique strategies that they have adopted is the collection of organic waste at the source, like markets or at the Chappan Dukan -a place for local eateries. 750- 800 kgs of waste is collected each day. This waste is converted to biofuel in biomethanation plants and utilised to run buses, or supplied to restaurants as cooking fuel. The remaining waste is used as compost, which is supplied to the farmers for free.
In addition to this, collection of household waste by going door to door is also made efficient. Waste collection vehicles are properly tracked immediate measures are taken in case a vehicle breaks down. This facilitated the huge roadside garbage bins in the city to be removed. The places where garbage used to be mindlessly dumped, are now some of the cleanest streets in India. The roads are swept daily. Sewage water is treated to be safe, and recycled by spraying it on the streets. The city also has a helpline where people can register complaints whenever they encounter a cleanliness issue in the city. It is ensured that the problem is solved in 48 hours.
Transformation Success Story
Dumping yards are a nuisance to the people working or settled in the surrounding areas, as elaborated in our last article. Today’s central waste processing facility of Indore used to be one of the biggest known dumping grounds of Indore the city. The city has succeeded in levelling and enhancing this land and creating a park there. There are also plans for making a golf course in the area.
Pune’s Champions
Pune too has its fair share of organizations that are toiling to conquer the perpetual problem of waste management. These organizations have stuck to their forte and have decided the role they’ll play in Solid SWM. They have taken up initiatives ranging from awareness to actual ground work.
Adar Poonawalla Clean City Initiative is one of the many initiatives making Pune greener and cleaner. It is an environmentally sustainable initiative, undertaken by Serum Institute of India and Mr. Adar Poonawalla as a social responsibility. To make our streets greener, cleaner and to improve India’s image, the initiative has pledged Rs. 100 Crores towards this cause. The Adar Poonawalla Clean City Initiative focuses on supporting the Pune Municipal Corporation with collection of street waste. A variety of initiatives like litter picking and bin installation have been undertaken with this motive in mind.