Noida’s waste segregation project has limited impact

Noida’s much-hyped waste segregation project launched last July has failed to make much headway, partly due to the Covid-19 outbreak – but also due to its own efficiencies.

Almost a year ago, when the project was launched, blue and green waste bins had been provided to RWAs, along with awareness campaigns on separating dry and wet waste at source. The premise was that when the waste was taken to the landfill at Sector 145, it could be disposed right.

In January and February this year, Noida was generating up to 900 tonnes of waste a day. By April, that dropped by half — owing primarily to large establishments being shut. Yet, waste segregation has not been streamlined.

The Authority put it down to biomedical waste generation because of the pandemic and the waste management agency said it was because collection itself had become staggered in lockdown.

“Colonies and societies that were disposing waste in the right manner earlier were not able to do so over the past three months. Those collecting the waste were not being allowed into most societies. The process was hit,” said a senior manager at AG Enviro which manages waste collection in the area, reports The Times of India.

Picture Credit: Green Dream Foundation