IndiGlobal Bureau
In a bid to ensure best solid waste management, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to study the Indore model which has been successful in managing the waste. Indore has been bagging the coveted cleanest city award for six years. Dr. Sudhakar Shinde, additional municipal commissioner of BMC said the civic administration has floated a proposal with the All India Local Self Government (AILSG), through which civic officials and sanitary workers would be trained under the parameters of the Indore model.
Indore has been successful in segregating waste at source and setting up waste processing units and highly efficient in door-to-door collection of solid waste.
“We are planning to study the entire Indore model by visiting the city and understanding how the mechanism of waste collection works. A team of at least 400 civic workers will visit Indore in various slots to understand the methodology of the model,” said Dr Sudhakar.
Currently, there are 400 junior officers involved in solid-waste management activities. Each junior officer has 50 sanitation staff working under them. Shinde said the idea behind studying the Indore model is to ensure there is proper mechanism in waste management through all levels.
Currently, Mumbai generates close to 6,300 metric ronnes (MT) of waste, out of which more than 60% of daily solid waste is sent to Kanjurmarg landfill, while the remaining waste is sent to Deonar dumping ground.
According to the waste management rules of the BMC that was drafted in 2016, it was stated that the civic body will have to reduce its dependency on dumping grounds by starting waste segregation at source.
However, in a report published in May 2023, it was stated that more than 47% of the bulk waste generators of Mumbai were not segregating waste at source. An official from the solid waste management department said Mumbai is different from Indore in many aspects. “Mumbai has relatively higher population and more commercial establishments, the pattern of residential units are also different. Therefore, the entire model cannot be replicated. However, certain aspects can be improved such as improving the process of segregation of waste at source,” said the official.
