Municipal Solid Waste Management Practices in Alwar, Rajasthan, India

Solid waste management is the process of collecting, treating and disposing off the material after segregating the reusable and recyclable material. After observing mismanagement of municipal solid waste in Alwar city, it was decided to carry out a study to find out the status of the solid waste management practices. During study, the residential areas of the city were visited and sample were collected from households on per day basis, which helped to analyze the waste generation as well as the seasonal variation of the waste. It has been observed that all wastes are mixed together by the residents due to unawareness about the biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes. Even, it is very difficult for the concerned authorities in municipal corporation Alwar to estimate the actual quantity of biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes. In absence of segregation of these wastes, the authorities normally use thumb rules for estimating the dry and wet wastes. During study, the main thrust was given to find out the variation in seasonal waste in different areas of the city, so as to help in assessing the deployment of available resources for their full utilization. The biodegradable waste may be used for vermi-composting as well as generation of bio-gas also. It was observed that segregation is not done at the level of individual households and therefore, awareness among people is to be brought as well as to deploy additional manpower for segregation at the collection points. There is a dire need for engaging sufficient number of manpower by the municipal corporation Alwar for collection and transportation of solid waste in the city. At present, diesel vehicles are used for transportation, so it is suggested to make use of electric vehicles like rickshaws and loaders for environmental protection and sustainable development.