Chennai: The Tamilnadu government had ordered for waste to be segregated as biodegradable and non-biodegradable so that garbage disposal could be carried out in ease.
However, the implementation of it is quite not up to the mark, state residents.
In Ambattur, awareness has been created regularly by placing flex boards, distributing pamphlets and even sending messages to residents via WhatsApp.
According to sources, it is stated that around 40 per cent households in the neighbourhood have started to dispose their household wastes as per instructions given by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC).
Although not working out cent per cent, awareness has been created among people as many gated communities have started using organic waste as manure. Some independent houses do it too.
In many apartments, there are four to five bins dedicated to segregate garbage as solid, plastic, recyclable and so on.
“In Ambattur, plastic wastes collected from residents are carried to Pudur where they can be recycled,” says Suresh, the general secretary of United Welfare Association – Ambattur.
He added that the State government’s decision to ban the manufacture, sale, storage, and use of disposable plastic from 1 January was one of the best decisions ever made.
Approximately, 300 tonnes of garbage is collected from Zone 7. The wastes are carried to Menambedu where segregation happens every day with help from machines.
Balakumar, president of Vivek Nagar Residents Welfare Association, says, “People are very much concerned about their surroundings and most of the residents cooperate with their association to keep their neighbourhood neat. Nothing is impossible. On the first Sunday of every month along, they move around Vivek Nagar and clean the untidy spots. Even the Corporation workers join with them.”
“On the flip side, few workers do claim that people are not really segregating wastes as per the order. They are just throwing it without thinking about our pain and make them toil more, they claim,” said residents.
Article by Jaysha J