Jajpur (Odisha): Going green in any respect is of paramount importance as the time is running out to salvage the environment from further devastation! From polluted rivers to dirty air, our environment needs urgent attention. Plastic waste management has acquired critical significance for multiple reasons.

Plastic sticks around in the environment for ages, threatening wildlife and spreading toxins. Plastic also contributes to global warming. Burning plastics in incinerators also releases climate-wrecking gasses and toxic air pollution. In fact, plastic is a kind of multi-edged weapon which only bruises the environment. Hence, the need for effective plastic waste management!

The District Administration of Jajpur is showing the mirror to others. They have gone green in dealing with the menace of plastic, central to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Battery-operated vehicles have been introduced for door-to-door collection of solid waste managed with the help of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and to ensure safe sanitation, solid and liquid waste management for rural areas.

“It is a multi-stakeholder initiative. Plastic waste management is an important offshoot of sustainable development. Plastic poses a serious threat to our environment. Therefore, we have to adopt a wholesome approach to ensure plastic waste is well managed,” said Chakravarti Singh Rathore, District Magistrate, Jajpur. “The response from the people is good. Hope we are able to convince them not to use plastic, in particular the single-use plastic,” he added. 

“This will also address better social security measures, job creation and impact livelihoods for women self help group members,” added Rathore, saying that the evidence based operation model is divided into three levels -- villages, Gram Panchayats and Urban MRF. The project is visualized to promote a sustainable circular economic paradigm in the district.

Rathore said: “There is a need to create awareness about sustainable practices of waste management among citizens and other stakeholders through information, education and communication (IEC) activities including monitoring and evaluation of waste collection and disposal!” He further said that wet waste will be converted into fertilizers and dry waste will be sold which will generate income. As far as SHG is concerned, we also pay them some stipend. 

 The project, which has been initiated under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), is being supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), AIIMS, Bhubaneshwar and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) to establish a sustainable community-led approach for solid and liquid waste management, integrated plastic waste management, and efficient recycling in the district.

Sourav Chakrabarty, BDO, Jajpur, said “We are happy to join hands with UNICEF and the UNDP towards our vision to develop Jajpur block as India’s first block to achieve 100 per cent door to door collection.

The UNDP provides technical support to Jajpur District Administration to build linkages in the recycling strategy and bring inclusive growth to all stakeholders in the waste management ecosystem. It will also provide administrative and technical support in establishing the system thinking approach for waste management in urban and rural areas. /BI/