‘The opportunity lies in collecting, segregating and disposing of the waste’

Why talk of solid waste to students of Management? Students of MBA at KKR & KSR Institute of Technology, who listened to The Hindu Business Line Club talk on “Business Opportunities in Solid Waste Management,” will agree that some tremendous business opportunities exist in solid waste management.

“Business opportunity lies in collecting, segregating and disposing the solid waste and the young entrepreneurs will be able to find a working model to run their business,” Environmental Engineer, Tenali municipality, Uday Singh, told the students on Thursday.

At a time when the Urban Local Bodies are keen on developing Public Private Partnership (PPP) models as an effective method to scientifically manage tonnes of solid waste generated daily in cities, young entrepreneurs should tap the opportunity, he said.

“You can start by sensitising people of the importance of segregating solid waste at the source by forming an organisation. You can take a ward or two and demonstrate the good practice of effective solid waste management. The local municipality will be happy to outsource their work and you start building a network,” Mr. Uday Singh said to a student who asked him about the ways to build a working model.

Taking the students on a detour of various issues confronting the planet, Mr. Singh said that the biggest challenge is the greenhouse gas emissions which have been heating up the earth considerably over the last few years.

With India being a signatory to an accord signed among the developing nations to control carbon emissions, a concerted effort has begun in municipalities towards earning carbon footprints. The renewed focus on solar energy was the direct result of the accord, he said.

Recycling of solid waste also presents a wonderful business opportunity to those willing to work hard, he said.

Citing his experience in Tenali municipality, he said that they have earned Rs.26 lakh by recycling 1,240 MT of solid waste, the highest revenue in graded municipalities across the country.

Secretary of KKR & KSR Institute of Technology K. Sekhar, principal P. Babu were present.