Waste News - India Together

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Waste pickers live, work with pride

A glimpse into the lives of women waste-pickers in Pune by Suchismita Pai.

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WASTE DUMP

Residents of a municipal dumping site fight back The women of Meghpar village of Kutch District are fighting the big port town Gandhidham municipality which is dumping its waste in their village. Vimal Kalavadiya and Shvetangini Patel report from Kutch.

People GUJARAT Women

TOILETS FOR ALL

India’s sanitation puzzle: Missing the complete picture? The focus on ending open defecation and ensuring a toilet in every home is a limited one. Lasting success will require a much larger focus on sanitation, writes Aditya Bhol.

Health Urban Poor

COMPOSTING SCAM IN BENGALURU

What's in that compost you are using: burnt waste? A citizen’s probe unearths a racket in which toxic burnt waste is sold to farmers in the garb of vermicompost; what’s more, the packaging indicates involvement of a composting firm under the government. Shree D N and Akshatha M report from Bengaluru.

Urban Environment KARNATAKA

PACKAGING & THE ENVIRONMENT

Not everyone wants a plastic-free future! A petition filed by an NGO before the NGT seeks a phasing out of the use of plastic bottles and multi-layered plastic packaging, but there is a strong opposition to the proposal from a significant section of stakeholders belonging to the industry. Devanik Saha reports.

Environmental Hazards Economy Environment

SWACHH BHARAT

Those brooms may not be enough to clean our waste! The success of ‘spot fixes’ and initiatives by independent resident-collectives or organisations in cleaning up urban spaces and dumping spots has been noteworthy, but a long-term plan for solving waste issues in Indian cities needs more. Pooja Ramamurthi explains.

Public Funds Cities Government

THE URBAN VISION

Are there smarter ways to run our cities? The ruling government has allocated 7,060 crores of rupees for smart cities, but do our realities allow for westernised ICT-driven smart cities? Darryl D’Monte dwells on what would really make our cities smart, based on deliberations at the second Urban Age conference.

Cities Economy Government Urban Poor

E-WASTE MANAGEMENT

When companies flout norms and regulators look away A recent report from environmental research group Toxics Link exposes how multinationals are flagrantly violating the MoEF-notified rules on e-waste, even as the authorities empowered to enforce implementation remain passive. Richa Malhotra details the key findings.

Consumers Environment Environmental Law and Regulation

GARBAGE IN CITIES

Can new technologies tackle urban waste? While there is certainly a difference in the methods by which waste is disposed of in the global North and South, there are new European technologies in this field which deserve to be looked at, albeit at some future date. Darryl D'Monte reports from a recent event in Naples.

Urban Cities Environment

ENERGY ALTERNATIVES

Can rural India get the 'power' to choose? The benefits of providing access to energy and lighting to increasing numbers of the populace are indisputable, but many of the current initiatives to provide cleaner energy rely on corporate partnerships. Darryl D'Monte examines its pros and cons vis-à-vis an alternative model.

Energy Economy Environment

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

Pune civic ward sets an example The Zero Garbage pilot project in Pune's Katraj ward illustrates the critical elements of a successful and sustainable waste management initiative in the Indian context. Ayrel Clark-Proffitt, Saroj Badgujar, Sunil Agarwal explain how.

Urban Environment MAHARASHTRA

WASTE-TO-ENERGY

A burning issue at Okhla The Supreme Court has ordered a go-slow on waste-to-incineration technology that may be potential harmful to public health, but the MNRE is guided more by its focus on tackling urban waste. Kanchi Kohli reports.

Environmental Hazards Environment DELHI

WASTE PICKERS

Invisible environmentalists They forage the city, collecting and sorting often hazardous waste when the city sleeps and by day they are gone. Most of them are women and we have no long-term policy in place that looks at their welfare or health, writes Kalpana Sharma.

Environmental Hazards Public Health OP-ED Kalpana Sharma Kalpana's Commentary

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