Assignment- Session 1 to 10
Identify one of the critical development challenges in your city or local area and write a reflective essay in not more than 2000 words highlighting the criticality of the issue and how it could be addressed sustainably.
Note: The problem could be open defecation in cities, dropout rates in Municipal schools, education of children in urban slums, health challenges in urban slums, street vendors, homelessness etc. You are free to choose the topics based on your interest and concern. Please ensure that you do necessary work to understand the problem thoroughly. This assignment will be evaluated for 50 Marks.
A Case Study on Municipal Solid Waste Management in North Dum Dum Area
INTRODUCTION
Solid waste management is among the fundamental and essential services provided by municipal authorities in the country to keep urban centers clean. Solid waste management has always been a serious problem for cities throughout the world. It is same in developing countries like India. In certain regions of our country, the free disposal facilities have reached their own capacity and even local governments are confronted with difficult decisions. Fortunately, there’s the field of solid waste management, and it is with that Solid Waste Management that modern lives are enjoyable without the disturbance or refuse. Solid waste management is an integral element of modern society. Even if we don’t get to see what goes on at the facilities and plants that process and dispose of garbage, it still contributes to the well-being of our lives. There are many ways in which solid waste can be treated, and thanks to modernized practices and technological advancement, these methods are very safe and practical. In our present study we mainly confine our views on solid waste management of North Dum Dum which is a semi-urban area of West Bengal, India. This area is situated near Ganga and therefore one of the most important environmental consequences of the process of Solid Waste Management (SWM) of this area is to protect this large river from uncollected or dumped garbage from where the waste is washed into water bodies, resulting to a negative impact on environment. The poor quality of services provided in terms of solid waste collection and disposal is the issues of concern.
MSW ( Municipal Solid Waste ) Management Facility of North Dum Dum Municipality
It is a model project on municipal solid waste with financial support by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and KMDA on 50:50 cost sharing basis. The project is divided in two phases, namely Phase I and Phase II. Phase I is basically for designing and setting up of collection, segregation, storage and transportation system for MSW, and under Phase II, the setting up of Common Compost Plant and Landfill Facility was done. The site has an area of 11.1 acres and is located at Mouza Fatullapur (J.L.No.3) P.S. Nimta, District 24 Parganas (N) within North Dum Dum Municipal area. The work under Phase I has been completed by both the municipalities. Moreover, the Airport Authority, Delhi has issued NOC (No Objection Certificate) for the site, where the compost as well as landfill facility will be developed. After obtaining approval from the CPCB, the work under Phase II will start. The project report of compost plant (vermi-composting) had been prepared by the Karnataka Compost Development Corporation (KCDC). The Project Report for the landfill facility had been prepared by the National Productivity Council (NPC).
Specially designed metal containers are used for carrying MSW under the Model Facility Project in North Dum Dum municipal areas
For effective urban and environmental management, solid waste management plays an important role Current In India, municipal solid waste management, like most of other infrastructural services has come under great stress, consider low priority areas, solid waste management was never taken up seriously either by public or by concerned agency or authorities and now the large amount of waste is threatening our heath, environment and well being. North Dum Dum Municipal Corporation is responsible for better management of solid waste that are produced everyday and the present study has been carried out in Dum Dum to understand the problems and perspective associated with solid waste management in the semi-urban area.
MSW Management by North Dum Dum Municipality
North Dum Dum municipality developed a pilot project for compost plant by applying effective micro-biotechnology. The municipality has now taken initiative to set up compost plant to process the compostable solid waste generated in the entire municipal area. Common MSW Management Facility by Dumdum, South Dumdum & Baranagar Municipalities .The integrated mechanical compost plant of 200 MT capacity for these three municipalities will be developed with the technical know-how of the Karnataka Compost Development Corporation. The Agency had been engaged by the KMDA. The construction work of the project would be commenced shortly.
Vermi-composting pits in Dum Dum Municipality
MATERIALS AND METHODS
In our present study we concentrate on the area North Dum Dum Municipal Corporation. The solid waste from the different area of society was collected, mixed and one Kg sample was prepared by using quartering method. The waste was then characterized and the percentage of each constituent was calculated .Secondary data regarding solid waste generation, collection system and disposal methods were collected from North Dum Dum Municipal Corporation.
North Dum Dum is a city and a municipality in North 24 Parganas district located in North Kolkata in the Indian state of West Bengal. It includes a major area of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport or the Kolkata Airport.
Geography
North Dum Dum is located at 22°39′07″N 88°25′09″E.
Demographics
As of 2001 India census,North Dumdum had a population of 220,032. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. North Dumdum has an average literacy rate of 82%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 86%, and female literacy is 79%. In North Dumdum, 9% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Area of North Dum Dum depicted as study area
INVENTORY OF HAZARDOUS WASTE GENERATING UNITS IN WEST BENGAL Total Units identified 620
Total Hazardous Waste generation 2,36,000 MTPA in West Bengal (Metric Tones per annum)
Incinerable 3,500 MTPA
Recyclable 1,47,000 MTPA
Disposable 85,500 MTPA
Units closed for not complying 110 the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court
Common Storage, Treatment and Disposal Facility (CSTDF) for Hazardous Waste at North 24 Parganas District
The first Common Storage, Treatment and Disposal Facility (CSTDF) for hazardous waste under the Public Private Partnership
(PPP) has been developed at Dum Dum . The facility will also deal with the biomedical waste as well as municipal solid wastes for the adjacent municipal areas.
The land for the Common Storage, Treatment and Disposal Facility (CSTDF) for Hazardous Waste with an area of 70.46 acres is being developed The valuation of the land is Rs.1.52 crores (actual land acquisition cost Rs. 2,15,699 /acre). The total land requirement is 200 acres for Phases I and II. Out of this, 70.46 acres has been acquired and is being utilized for the development of landfill facility (at present first cell), temporary storage facility, laboratory and other infrastructure under Phase I and to install incinerator under Phase II. The life of the landfill facility is 30 years. The Municipality acquired 70.46 acres of land for the development of CSTDF for hazardous wastes and ten acres of land for the approach road. The WBPCB issued NOC for the facility on April 28, 2012.
The total amount of hazardous wastes to be handled at the site is 1,20,000 tones per annum for secured landfilling, 60,000 tones per annum for stabilization and treatment and 20,000 tones per annum for incineration. Restriction on plastic carry bags
The Government of West Bengal and the West Bengal Pollution Control Board have issued a series of directions imposing blanket ban on plastic carry bags at various sites in the state. On March 7, 2006, the WBPCB issued a circular restricting plastic carry bags in specific areas in the state. All manufacturers, stockists and users were directed to comply with the guidelines of the Board regarding use of plastic carry bags to avoid regulatory order as provided under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and also legal actions as warranted under Section 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. All concerned persons and authorities were asked to ensure strict compliance of this circular.
Manufacture, sale and use of plastic carry bags banned in ecologically fragile areas
ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
North Dum Dum Municipal Corporation is responsible for collection of solid waste which is produced day by day from different areas of Dum Dum . There are 35 wards in Dum Dum . There are 39,630 houses in this area which was considered in our study. There are several sources for solid waste generation :
Markets Play Ground/ Parks Domestic Buildings/ Houses Houses containing shops Institutions Offices/Bhawans/Complex Hospitals
Following are the statistical information of producing solid waste (in kg) per day from different sectors:
Table 1 Area No. of No. of No. of Population No. of Market No. of Hospita borough ward house hold l
22.03 5 35 39630 192187 7 2 km2
Table 2 Ward Serial Number Number of Population No Market 1 6 1 4688 2 8 1 7632 3 18 1 5453 4 21 1 5919 5 23 1 4202 6 30 1 4994 7 31 1 3321
It transpires from the above two tables:
Garbage production from house is higher in ward number 26 among all wards as this ward is densely populated As seven wards are rich in market thus production of garbage from these wards are higher than rest of area Seven wards having market and two wards having hospitals produce higher amount of garbage than rest of wards
Garbage Collection Procedure
North Dum Dum Municipal Corporation is responsible for collecting the garbage from different areas of Dum Dum . Municipal Authority is collecting this garbage in regular manner. There are numbers of big dust bins in several areas of the city and several wards share each big dust bins. Garbage is accumulated in this bin from adjacent areas. In each block three sweepers are working. For garbage collection procedure, 250 persons are involved. They are involving in sweeping the roads and collecting the garbage and transferring the waste into the bins. The collection of waste from these dust bins is frequently done where numbers of sweepers involved are more. The collected garbage is carried by small cart, tractors or trucks which are dedicated for collection purpose.
Transportation of garbage
Collected garbage is transported to the disposal areas in specific manner. It starts from small dumper and ends into big dust bins. Among the collected garbage, both degradable and non-degradable wastes are present. It is alarming that several plastic products are dumped into the dust bins. Several types of vehicles are used for transporting garbage to disposal sites which are as follows:
Tri cycle cart Tractor
Three tri cycle carts are provided in each ward for collection of garbage from door to door. But in market area extra two tri cycle carts are provided. There are 22 tractors which are used for transporting garbage from different areas. The tractors carrying waste are not covered or partially covered during the journey and waste tends to spill on the roads. The loading and unloading of waste is done through manual as well as mechanical system. Disposal of waste
Normally the collected garbage is disposed without treatment and recycling. So till now there is no recycling procedure of garbage according to the normal specification i.e. Municipal Solid Waste (Management & Handling) Rules 2000 of solid waste treatment.
Vermi-composting pits in North Dum Dum Municipality
Water Waste Treatment and Disposal Facility at Dum Dum Park
CONCLUSION
The solid waste management in Dum Dum Area appears to be inadequate and needs up gradation. The solid waste has to be disposed off scientifically through sanitary landfill and recyclable portion of the waste should be salvaged. Segregation of recyclable material would also lead to reduction in quantity of solid waste for final disposal. Higher priority needs to be assigned to the management of municipal solid waste by the local authority and a system approach needs to be adopted for optimizing the entire operation of SWM encompassing segregation at source, timely and proper collection, transportation routes and types of vehicles and development and proper operation of sanitary landfill site. The density of population along with number of offices and institutions are continuously increasing thus there should be effective management activity for managing the solid waste which is generated daily in Dum Dum area.