The Hindu 31.07.2012
Practical solution sought to manage solid waste in cities
Union Minister of State for Urban Development Saugata
Roy has stressed the importance of devising a practical solution for the
management of solid waste in urban areas by harnessing or developing
appropriate technology.
Delivering the inaugural
address at the 3rd International Conference on Solid Waste Management on
the Infosys campus here on Monday, he said there was not one workable
technology to address the issue of solid waste management in urban areas
though it was among the major challenges confronting the country.
The
three-day conference has been jointly organised by the Mysore City
Corporation (MCC), the International Society of Waste Management, Air
and Water, and the Centre for Quality Management System, Jadhavpur
University, Kolkata.
The Minister said scientific
conferences such as these should be a forum for experts to discuss new
ideas and develop new technologies, rather than only publishing research
papers.
A grim picture
Underlining
the importance of harnessing advanced but practical technology for
management of urban solid waste, Mr. Roy painted a grim picture of the
future in in urban areas as a result of the population growth and rapid
urbanisation.
“The total urban population of the
country, which stands at 377 million, is projected to grow to nearly 600
million by 2030, and nearly 50 per cent of the country’s total
population will be in urban areas by 2050. This will have a tremendous
bearing on solid waste management in the country,” said Mr. Roy.
He pointed out that urban India generated around 1.5 lakh tonnes of solid waste a day.But,
per capita waste generation was expected to go up from 3.5 per cent to 5
per cent by 2030. Handling and disposal of solid waste was emerging as a
major issue for policymakers, and the government should take it up on
priority, he added.
‘Urban India generates around 1.5 lakh tonnes of solid waste a day’
‘There is not a single green city in the country that meets the criterion of no open defecation’