I am writing about what I practically see happen around my neighbourhood every day. I am writing about what people are telling me & what we as a waste management organisation experience on a daily basis. The deteriorating state of waste management in our country.

There are over 30 positive cases of COVID19 in our neighbourhood, with few houses just adjacent to mine. These individuals have been put into home quarantine, but guidelines for collection of waste from their home are not being followed. The waste is still being collected in mixed form by the contractor & one can only guess what is happening with it. In other cities such as Noida (read article) a town close to Delhi, COVID Waste is not being collected from quarantine houses in absence of specific guide lines. 

With only a few private players operating in medical waste handling sector, there is no way these companies can collect hazardous waste from from all of Delhi/NCR quarantined households & hospitals. This agin is caused by poor planning & policies that promote monopolisation & cartalisation of the sector while killing competition. 

Putting out notifications & then claiming grand success by blasting social media channels may only fool the blind, as the reality on the ground level is in stark contrast to what is being claimed. Is the state government & central government oblivious to the sate of affairs in the waste management sector or is this being done purposely to protect the financial interest of their partners. 

My opinion is that the state realises that a few negative articles will be written, some noise made, but no real prolonged campaign with the involvement of the masses would be implement to pressure the authorities to change their ways & bring about policy reform. They have realised that people have a short lived memory & here in India, self interest has weighed over national interest since ages.

Until & unless we don’t start putting the interest of our nation, our health, our environment first & start questioning the authorities & demanding accountability change in status quo will happen at a snails pace, which India can ill afford. 

Jai Hind!