The Indian Express 11.08.2012
SWaCH claims wide support for its waste-collection model
A week after it terminated its MoU with Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal
Corporation, SWaCH, a cooperative of waste pickers, has claimed wide
support from several organisations in Pune and outside.
“Environmental activists, waste pickers’ organisations, feminist
groups, trade unions and those involved in making our cities more
inclusive, have expressed their surprise and concern at the abrupt end
to an acclaimed model of waste-collection,” said SWaCH CEO Shabana
Diler.
“Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) has
described SWaCH as truly pioneering, (inspiring) several communities
across the world,” said Diler.
“PCMC has roped in a private company to collect waste in two
wards of Pimpri-Chinchwad. Their model is weight-based rather than user
fee-based and does not encourage segregation and minimising of waste
production. The model does not integrate waste pickers and will work out
to be very expensive for PCMC,” said Diler.
Spokespersons of Delhi-based NGOs Chintan and Safai Sena in a
letter said, “It’s surprising that a sustainable model that included
citizen participation, cost reduction, segregation at source, provided
livelihood and empowerment to many urban poor, has been shown clear
disregard in comparison to an unsustainable model that counters all of
the above. “
Similarly, a letter from WIEGO, a global network of women working
in informal sector whose members recently saw first-hand work that
SWaCH does in PCMC, states that their members from across the world
“were impressed by what the waste pickers in partnership with the
municipality had achieved. They went back to their countries eager to
try and replicate the model or something similar in their cities. It is
unfortunate that we now have to tell people how the municipality
betrayed the waste pickers.”
Inclusive Cities, an international collaboration of membership-based
organizations (MBOs) of the working poor, expressed their support of
continuing struggle and urged PCMC to reconsider its decision: “If the
decision were to be reversed, it would be our pleasure to once again
promote the municipality’s inclusive approach to solid waste management
through its work with SWaCH as a global best practice in the creation
and maintenance of an inclusive city.”
“The work of SWaCH has been considered a global “best practice”
in integrated solid waste management practices. In particular, the
recycling rate of 18 per cent and stable livelihoods that this work
provides is highly impressive,” said Diler.
“All the groups have unanimously demanded that PCMC integrate all
the waste pickers of SWACH as well as authorised KKPKP waste pickers in
any doorstep waste-collection model pursuant to various state and
Central government directives. PCMC should ensure waste pickers’ rights
over recyclables are protected. The civic body should ensure that waste
pickers earn a minimum wage,” said Diler.
Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Commissioner Dr Shrikar Pardeshi has
said he was studying a government resolution in this connection and
would take an appropriate action.