Authorities need to fine offenders
We Asked: Segregation of garbage into dry and wet is a thing of the past, now the municipal waste is being dumped, burnt and simply ill-treated! Why do you think such slackness has crept in, who is mainly responsible and what should be done about it?
It is correct when we say that once the hue and cry dies down, people forget a ‘mission’- same appears to be the fate of Swachh Bharat! What with Covid-19 making plastic a necessary evil and its disposal a universal question, slackness in domestic and municipal waste segregation, collection and proper disposal is adding to the already huge pile of responsibilities for a cleaner and greener world around us. Our environment is our concern, but many find it very convenient to preach others while burning their garbage on the sly. I have myself seen and checked many such educated neighbours who think nothing of throwing their waste on the lanes without a trace of guilt. Why? Because they know no action will be taken against them. Though there is a provision of fining such offenders, how many do we see being sued or challaned? This is the main reason for this mess up! This lethargic attitude towards ‘swachhtaa’ is because the authorities shy from taking any action against the persons found indulging in such practices. Then even the safai karmcharis burn wastes or not pick up garbage timely, especially if it is garden waste, without an additional monetary ‘reward’. This is wrong. Garden waste should also be treated as part of domestic waste. Because of this, so many people have opted for cemented laws with plants in pots instead of a ‘green’ lawn full of shrubs and trees. As citizens, we tend to be very irresponsible hence the authorities will have to be stricter if they really want to achieve their target and the mission. –Ruchika Jauhar, teacher, St Agnes’ Loreto Day School
Segregation plays the most crucial role in the management of waste disposal. In this method, the waste is segregated into biodegradable and the non-biodegradable waste; of which biodegradable waste can be used in our households to make manure, whereas non-biodegradable waste should be adequately segregated so that it could be disposed of. But it was all in the past. These days it’s even worse as some people just throw garbage in open bags, and the contents spill over and litter the place. It not only dirties our surrounding and pollutes our environment, but also leads to various diseases caused as a result of poor maintenance of hygienic conditions. Some of the waste is even burnt in the open which can cause adverse effect on public health. The improper waste disposal and littering are now more like a day-to-day thing for which we will have to face consequences in the future. We observe heaps of garbage lying along the roads while passing through a highway. Open dumping is the most common method of waste disposal in India. The proper disposal of garbage is the responsibility of every citizen in the country apart from the government and the local municipal corporations. To keep people healthy and to avoid the spread of diseases, a clean and garbage-free environment is necessary To save India we all have to follow some basic steps in disposing our waste. -Vishakha Singh, Delhi Public School, Gomti Nagar Extension
Topic of the month: How do you think we can create a more pro-biodiversity (say, birds and butterflies) environment around us? You may send your views in 200 words at treetakemagazine@gmail. Please also attach a colour photo of yourself.
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