SWM

Background

The increase in generation of solid waste is the result of the rapidly growing human population coupled with increasing levels of consumption, resulting into increased levels of discards/waste at individual, households and institutional level. In the absence of sustained efforts at addressing the issues related to human behavior, inadequate infrastructure for collection, transportation, and processing of discards is increasing levels of pollution of air, water and land resources.

The Government of TamilNadu have stated that the status of solid waste management has to be improved in urban local bodies and necessary funding will be allocated in three consecutive financial years starting from 2013-14 onwards. Accordingly, The Director of Town Panchayats has instructed the Executive Officer of this Town Panchayat to prepare a comprehensive proposal for the improvement of solid waste management in the town Panchayats for second phase for the year 2014-15.

Strategies for the Improvement of the SWM systems in the town with the followings.

1. By adopting Five R’s (5 R’s) concept on waste management strategies to minimise the waste to be managed by urban local body through Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) and leadership training to the grassroots leaders (formal as well as informal)

2. Bringing awareness regarding the legal framework including Environment Protection Act 1986, Municipal Solid Waste( Management & Handling) Rules 2000, Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 2011, Hazardous Waste (Management & Handling) Rules 2008 and Bio Medical Waste ( Management & Handling) Rules 1998.

3. Bringing Legal framework to Prohibit littering on the streets by ensuring storage of waste at source in two bins; one for biodegradable wet discards/waste that need daily disposal and another for recyclable dry discards material that can be collected once or twice in a week.

4. Primary collection of (segregated) biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste from the doorstep, (including slums and squatter areas) at pre-informed timings on a day-to-day basis using containerized tri-cycle/hand carts/pick up vans.

5. Street sweeping covering all the residential and commercial areas on all the days of the year irrespective of Sundays and public holidays.

6. Abolition of open waste storage depots and provision of covered containers or closed body waste storage depots in floating population areas.

7. Transportation of waste in covered vehicles on a day to day basis.

8. Treatment of biodegradable waste using composting, vermi compost/ bio methonisation plant.

9. Sorted recyclables will be sold to the recyclers.

10. Minimize the waste going to scientifically engineered landfills (SLFs) and dispose of only rejects from the treatment plants and inert material at the landfills as per the standards laid down in the rules.

Profile of the Poolambadi Town Panchayat