BWG working groups seek public support for waste management

Gurugram: Residents of various sectors of Gurugram on Thursday approached the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) to address the issues related to solid waste management for bulk waste generators (BWGs). They highlighted the challenges they face in in-situ and ex-situ treatment of wet waste and sought the support of the Municipal Corporation in implementing more efficient decentralised waste management solutions.

The residents have written a letter to MCG Commissioner Narhari Singh Bangar, outlining their concerns and offering suggestions for wet waste treatment by bulk waste generators. The letter cites the need for more support and infrastructure to implement in-situ and ex-situ wet waste treatment in housing societies and other BWGs across the city.

In their letter, residents drew attention to several problems that have recently hindered effective waste management.

Residents have called on the city corporation to investigate the constraints that are hindering BWG and other waste generators from effectively managing wet waste. They believe the city’s current waste collection system, which involves contractors simply collecting, transporting and dumping waste at secondary sites, undermines efforts to treat waste sustainably.

Shona Chatterji, a resident of Silver Oaks in DLF Phase 1 and a member of the sustainability group focused on SWM, said, “Despite good source segregation, BWGs face challenges like lack of space and knowledge of wet waste processing technology. Also, suppliers treat waste as a commodity instead of working on eco-friendly management. For example, they push for 24×7 composters, which are not always practical,” she said.

Ruchika Sethi Takkar, a founding member of a citizens’ collective advocating for sustainable waste management, said, “While the SWM Rules, 2016 and MCG targets aim to achieve sustainable waste management, the city is yet to implement proper segregation at source. MCG has not set up secondary segregation facilities for dry recyclable waste or treatment of organic matter at the district level. The current work orders with contractors focus on simple collection and storage of waste rather than promoting resource recovery, which discourages participation of waste producers.”

Takkar further stressed that if MCG’s work orders prioritized resource recovery and sustainable practices, the city would see significant participation from BWG and other waste generators. “It would also drastically reduce the amount of untidy dumping and incineration of mixed waste in the city and at landfills.”

Kavita Bansal, a resident of La Lagune in Sector 54 and a leader of SWM, suggested that the City-to-Soil policy is key to improving waste segregation. “BWGs need strong support for buying organic compost. SWM regulations already emphasise the role of local urban bodies in promoting and using organic compost,” Bansal said.

Priyanka Jha, a resident of Tata Primanti in Sector 72 and a strong advocate of zero waste practices, added, “MCG should put in place processes now to divert the non-recyclable plastic waste generated by BWG to its ‘plastic waste road construction facility’ at Begampur Khatola or send it to co-processing plants. This will motivate BWG to further improve its waste segregation efforts.”

Takkar, who launched the citizens’ initiative “Why Waste Your Waste” in 2014, expressed disappointment that MCG has not fully tapped into the enthusiasm of waste generators. “Despite strong leadership from residents, corporations and RWAs on waste reduction, MCG has failed to effectively engage with these communities on decentralized solutions. We hope our representation will respond positively,” Takkar said.

“We are carefully considering the suggestions raised by residents and are committed to implementing a more sustainable and efficient waste management system in Gurugram. The focus will be on waste reduction, improving segregation practices and ensuring that waste is treated at source. Our aim is to create a system that addresses the challenges while promoting eco-friendly practices,” Bangar said.