LUDHIANA A CITY -WHERE GARBAGE IS COLLECTED IN THE MOST PRIMITIVE WAY

In the modern times when so much has been said and done in terms of technology about Solid Waste management. it is sad to note that very little has been done about the garbage collection methodology and to change the mind set of an average Indian whether rural or urban which remains the same as centuries ago that is garbage is untouchable and so are the GARBAGE COLLECTORS. Actually this should have been the FIRST STEP to the chain of solid waste management. I would like to take your support to bring a simple change in mind set of urban people who generate the garbage so that the garbage they produce becomes safe when handled by the poor garbage collectors who remain at the lowest rung of society in terms of esteem,poverty and health.This method will reduce urban odours,reduce health hazards to garbage collectors as well as provide enough bio-mass and material to produce vermicompost, methane as well raw fuel for gasifiers to produce electricity. In order to give the outside world that we are on road to become developed we need to pay attention to the mundane things such as how we keep our environment,our cities and villages clean.
This article is with regards sensitisation of all with regard to the sanitation, hygiene and health of my city –THE LUDHIANA CITY . The city's main and inside roads are dotted with the garbage containers lying on the roads .Sometimes they occupy the about one fourth of the width of the road. Why they are a nuisance the reasons are not far to seek -
· They obstruct traffic by their very placement
· They emanate obnoxious smells and bad odors thus causing AIR POLLUTION.
· They invite dogs and cattle to feed on them leading to further traffic congestion .
· Most being without lids invite the swarm of flies to feed on thus ARE A GREAT HELP in spreading contagious and infectious diseases
Now coming to there placement on these roads and streets why they were there at all?
The basic reason was there was no planning at all during the growth of the old city into a sprawling un manageable collection of dwellings surrounded by slums at least on all sides. In fact none in Municipal authorities bothered to plan so as to have a modern garbage collection system .None planned to cater from the paradigm shift from a heap collection system at one corner of the street to a modern scientific collection and disposal system.So these collection heaps were converted into a brick lined structures/metal containers obviously made on the government land. The latest cosmetic change to these open garbage dumps being the covering on all sides by advertisement hoardings thus earning revenue for the Municipal Corporation.
What needs to be done?
The MC needs to do the following
Remove these containers/ garbage dumps from all the roads/streets
Evolve a system to place them in structures either on the government land nearby or buy small plots to house them in such structures which keep the garbage shut out from all the nuisance mentioned above .
· One way of doing this is that direct garbage collection from home and straight away taking it to the dump by vehicles as is being done in developed countries.
· The second way is to house these collection points in the sealed container like cement / metallic structures which should have the following essentials

• an inlet which is metallic/PVC made
• rubber sealed spring loaded top loading one way doors
• inlets which should be fly proof, rainproof/animal proof .

Thus by doing this all the health ,hygiene and pollution causing reasons will be eliminated.
Actually more ignored a problem is the more immediate action when noticed/brought to notice – it deserves. It immediate action per se and coupled with planning other wise with such a huge population and unorganized garbage collection system LUDHIANA is waiting to repeat a SURAT plague repeat.

P.S Local MP Mr Manish Tewari took up the case with local Municipal authorities and they have contracted a private company for door to door collection of garbage . Let us pray it actually happens!