Advisor infrastructure, Pradeep Singh, today stressed on collective responsibility and role of citizens to keep the Srinagar city clean.
“Cleanliness is the next to godliness. It is our collective responsibility. We will do lot of awareness but at the same time everyone as an individual or as an organization has to contribute to keep Srinagar clean,” he said addressing a pre-bid conference on IEC activity under Swach Bharat Mission organized by Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC).
The programme was also attended by SMC commissioner Riyaz Ahmed Wani, joint commissioner SMC Syed Abdul Qasim, Raja Muzaffar a social activist, Lalita Lyer Journalist and expert solid waste management; Meghna Malhotra deputy director Urban Management Ahmedabad, civil society members, traders and NGO representatives, officials of Urban Local Bodies and SMC.
The advisor asked all the participants for making concerted collective efforts in keeping the city clean and green.
SMC commissioner Riyaz Ahmad Wani claimed that currently only thirty percent waste is segregated at source and concern of authorities is to how to tackle seventy percent backlog.
“Our concern is to take measures as how to tackle this (70%) backlog. For that, we have initiated segregation of waste at source and will extent it to entire municipal limits. This is one of the most important measures to avoid land filling (at Achan) and to make waste useful for other things through scientific methods,” he said.
He expressed concern over the continuous landfill, saying, “not only our next generations but we also have to face consequences in case we continue to fill land with waste.”
“The present space (Cell) being filled at dumping site can suffice upto next four next months. During these four months, I want, let us take some measures so that present space can last upto next two years,” he said while stressing for segregation of waste at source and door to door collection.
“We can sell the non-biodegradable waste to cement plant owners and degradable to farmers. We can be benefitted in two ways- revenue and waste disposal,” he said.
Ram Prasad, an expert suggested that after spreading lot of awareness on the matter, some measures can also be taken to penalize the violators. “First, awareness on the matter and to encourage people to adopt methods for keeping city clean is important. Later, if anyone is littering garbage on streets or roads, he may be panelized,” he added.
Lalit Aiyer, a Hyderabad based journalist said that Indore city has emerged as clean city after implementation of various measures under solid waste management rules.
Raja Muzzafar Bhat, an expert on solid waste management, said as on date hundred percent waste generated is taken to Achan landfill site. “This is violation of SWM rules. We need to segregate waste and take only ten percent to landfill site. I will say that in case of Srinagar hardly ten percent waste should be taken to landfill site,” he said.
He stressed that waste management by source segregation is “very very important” and SMC must start is soon.
Meghna Malhotra deputy director Urban Management Ahmadabad spoke about the best practices adopted by them in the city for waste collection and disposal.
Others who were present on the occasion include Zarief Ahmad Zarief, SMC chief sanitation officer Muhammad Akbar Sofi..