Residents of Noida making innovative efforts to Manage Waste
Every day the satellite township produces over 300 tonnes of municipal waste. In the absence of an efficient waste management system or even a designated landfill site, residents of Noida have started taking matters into their own hands are making innovative efforts to manage waste. Residents explained that the root of the problems lies in the attitude of both the authorities and the residents who feel that waste is just not worth bothering about. But there are people in Noida who have decided to not sit back and are doing whatever they can to help solve Noida’s waste management problem.
Citizens Environment Improvement Society (CEIS) was founded by Commander VK Nagpal and other like-minded people in 2002 with the aim of acting as a bridge between authorities and the citizens to ensure a cleaner Noida. Specializing in handling of biodegradable waste, today CEIS handles almost 200 metric tonnes of waste and produces about 22-25 tonnes of compost.
Nagpal said that he first got into waste management when he realized how big the problem really was. “The question is not of how I got into it, but of how others haven’t. There is so much filth on the streets and everyone can see it and smell it. But people just don’t care,” he explained.
“We are currently trying to sensitize people, especially school children, and make them realize the importance of waste management. We try and educate them about the various things that they can do to make a difference,” added Nagpal.
Manik Thapar, a young MBA student from Noida, set up Ecowise with the aim of providing comprehensive waste management solutions to not only residential sectors but also commercial and industrial waste. Each day they handle over 10 tonnes of garbage that would otherwise end up on the streets of Noida. By starting a business on waste management, Ecowise has changed the perception of people. The company converts domestic waste into high quality compost and inorganic waste is packaged, segregated and then recycled.
Even individuals from across the city have started taking their own steps to manage waste more effectively. Anoop Khanna, president of the Gautam Budh Nagar District Chemist Association, has undertaken the anti-polythene drive.
“I stopped using polythene in my shop. I tell my customers to bring their own bags or at best I make temporary pouches for them by stapling newspapers together. It’s not just about recycling and reusing but also reducing the amount of waste we produce,” said Khanna.
Kriti Singh, a resident of sector 25, said, “We spoke to our RWA about burning dry leaves, which is not only unhealthy but also pointless. We are currently formalizing a plan to turn these dry leaves into compost.”
Greater Noida, Importance of waste management, manage waste, Municipal waste, Noida, Noida Residents, Residents of Noida, Satellite township, Solid Waste Management, Waste management system
