Gangtok accumulates 5.5 million plastic bottles per year: NGO Gangtok, 28 Oct 2014: Sikkim’s capital Gangtok alone accumulates 5.5 million plastic bottles a year, making non-degradable waste one of the top contributors to pollution in the city. NGO Zero Waste Himalaya made this disclosure on Tuesday during the four-day exhibition on cleanliness and zero waste being organised by the State Rural Management and Development Department under the prime minister’s ‘Swach Bharat Abhiyan’. The NGO has conducted an extensive study on potentially dangerous waste in the state. It said Sikkim does not suffer from scarcity of clean drinking water, but many locals and tourists purchase bottled water and contribute to the increase in plastic waste numbers. Zero Waste Himalaya has also found that the state accumulates a large quantity of tetra pack waste, considered to be one of the most dangerous non-recyclable wastes. As per the study, a total of 5.8 million tetra pack gets accumulated in Sikkim on a yearly basis. In Gangtok alone, 130-140 metric tons of waste is accumulated on a daily basis. And correct management of this waste is still a problem in the state as the waste management plant located at 32-No Nimtar is regularly steeped in controversies. Locals of the area, social organisations along with concerned citizens have made numerous complaints about the functional capability of the plant. An ideal example of waste management comes from Lachen, a rural tourism hamlet in North Sikkim. Residents of this area have banned the usage of bottled water in the area since 2012 and have successfully made Lachen free of plastic bottles. Tourists visiting the place have access to filtered water, which can be easily had in all households. On the other hand, the state capital has failed to control the surge in usage of non-biodegradable waste such as plastic bottles and tetra packs. This is posing immense danger to the environment. With the Swacha Bharat Abhiyan promising a much-needed change across the nation, it is imperative the state government takes appropriate steps to reduce the number of non-biodegradable waste in the capital. One such measure it can take is by installing two dustbins, one specifically for bio-degradable waste and the other for non-biodegradable material. This would not only make things easier for waste collectors, but also help recycling plants to conduct proper waste management processes. (HS) Courtesy: The Echo of India
Posted on: Wed, 29 Oct 2014 07:54:51 +0000
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