- Home
- Analysis
A way towards zero waste tourist spots in J&K
Zafar Bhat. Dated: 3/21/2018 11:40:09 AM
Zafar Bhat
Jammu, Mar 20
Categorically, taking innovative measures for zero waste tourist spots is possible only when there is focused attention towards sensitizing masses towards waste management and waste segregation. Indeed various waste management issues in the State and methods needed to be adopted for tourism sustainability.
However, solid waste management is a serious issue and with the notification of revised Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, for the first time responsibility has been laid upon Bulk waste generators, which include government buildings, public sector, hotels, and hospitals homes, educational institutes commercial establishments, markets, places of worship, stadia and sport complexes. The waste generators shall store the waste generated at source in three different streams, viz., bio-degradable, non-biodegradable and domestic hazardous wastes in suitable bins and ensure its channelization to authorized waste pickers, registered recyclers or waste collection agencies and bulk waste generators.
Notably, it is requisite taking adequate measures to aware people not to litter or burn the waste on streets, open public places, drains or nallahs, besides collection of horticulture, parks and garden waste separately within parks and gardens. It needs to seek suggestion and possibilities of composting waste, manual waste composting may be carried out in a pit or bin and composting bags which is suitable for small parks and gardens with upto 20 kg of bio-degradable waste generation per day. Whereas there is the possibility of establishing parallel trenches alongside edges of parks to combat transportation problem and open composting may also be carried out without any infrastructure and the composting media may be preferable, cow dung or bacterial cultures in absence of cow dung.
Besides manual composition there are various mechanical composting procedures including Bio-composters, Organic waste converters of varying capacities and one such machine is already in operation as a pilot project by J&K SPCB. While Bio-composters can provide an ideal solution at tourist places.
Pertinently, concrete measures should be taken by authorities to minimize waste production at the source, besides stressing for checking the use of polythene carry bags and other disposables at all tourist places as these are non-recyclable besides being a major source of waste generation.