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Published on: 12/10/2022

Poster for Webinar on Sustainable Solid Waste Management Systems in Rural Areas, 14 Oct 2022

India has 250,000 Gram Panchayats consisting of around 650,000 villages. Around 64.6 per cent of the population lives in rural areas and are governed by the Gram Panchayats. Taking forward the work done under Swachh Bharat Mission I, the second phase SBM II consolidates the gains. 

One of the aspects is solid and liquid waste management (SLWM). Here, solid waste management (SWM) is critical for improving liquid waste management since mismanaged solid waste is a major contributor to choked drains and treatment systems. Rural solid waste contains organic waste and inorganic waste in the form of kitchen waste, paper, plastic, textiles and agricultural refuse.

An on-going thematic discussion by the SuSanA India Chapter has raised these and other issues. As a follow-up to this discussion, the SuSanA India chapter in collaboration with IRC, Water For People, WaterAid and the India Sanitation Coalition (ISC) is conducting a webinar on the topic to highlight examples and challenges of rural SWM from practitioners who have implemented activities in their villages.

Date and time:14 October 2022, from 16:00-17:00 (India) | 12:30-13:30 CEST
Register athttps://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_yDlV_IBtRkauhGAqrffZpg

The webinar will cover issues with economies of scale, access to markets for recycled products and funds flows. The SWM eco-system includes behaviour change for effective segregation, market linkages for the sale of compost, the economies of scale, formal or informal management systems, institutional arrangements to ensure sustainability, financing and convergence between different departments.

Therefore, a sustainable SWM and resource recovery system demands several factors to be considered including the technical, social, legal, environmental, and economical factors. This system has to have affordable, long-term and cost-effective, efficient solutions for all the solid waste that is generated in the target area.

The speakers will consider the following issues:

  • How would you mobilise the community to demand better and sustainable SWM systems in rural areas to ensure preparation and participation? Please provide examples from your experience of BCC and IEC approaches and activities that have worked?
  • How would you plan for setting up sustainable SWM systems, and what are the critical factors to be considered while planning for the same? What are the components of such a system?
  • How do you organise and coordinate activities among different agencies for sustainable SWM systems?

The speakers are:

  • Nitya Jacob, SuSanA: introduction to the topic and SuSanA
  • Pramod Dabrase, international SWM expert, CSEDI Navi Mumbai: overview of rural SWM, challenges and successes from different states
  • Asad Umar, Aga Khan Foundation: AKF’s strategy in rural SWM and how it has supported state governments to develop and implement SWM programmes
  • Imtiaz Ali, Sarthak, Bhopal: Tackling the issue of plastic waste
  • Arka Sinha Roy, sanitation professional: The COWW approach in Bihar
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