Venkaiah Naidu launches source segregation of waste campaign
NEW DELHI: Continuing on its pro-active approach towards the Cleanliness mission, ministry of urban development has now shifted its focus to bring about mass- scale behavior change towards source segregation of waste prior to scientific processing. On the occasion of World Environment Day, the Union Minister of Urban Development M Venkaiah Naidu launched a campaign on source segregation of municipal waste.
Naidu urged all the citizens to participate in this campaign for its success. He said that bins with different colors, will be used to segregate waste in every house and shop. Green bins shall be used for wet waste and Blue bins for dry waste, he added. “Incorrect disposal and burning of solid waste results in emission of climate change causing Greenhouse gases like Methane and Carbon Dioxide to the tune of 12.69 million tonnes of Carbon Dioxide in the country per year. A recent study has revealed 15 diseases, such as Hepatitis, Cholera and Malaria, caused due to the improper solid waste management,” said Naidu.
Earlier, the ministry had written letters to the concerned state authorities to put efforts for source segregation of waste.
The minister said that a number of policy interventions have been introduced by the government to encourage processing of municipal solid waste to compost and energy. He said that to promote conversion of ‘Waste to Energy’, purchase of electricity so generated has been made mandatory by DISCOMs and to promote ‘Waste to Compost’, a subsidy of Rs 1,500 per ton will be provided by the Government.
Naidu flagged off segregated waste collection vehicles and auto tippers, covering a total of nine Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), which includes Gurugram, Faridabad, Noida and Ghaziabad, besides five ULBs of Delhi.
The minister felicitated individuals, residential welfare associations, hotels and restaurants who have commendably contributed to the source segregation of waste and also administered a pledge in this regard.