Urban Cleanliness (Solid Waste Management)

            Management of solid wastes, an essential service and an obligatory administrative function of urban bodies, has to be given a top priority. Unscientific handling and disposal affects the environment and the health of the citizens. The worst affected are the poor. With continuing urban growth the situation has become critical. Low financial or human resources, institutional weakness, poor technology and public apathy towards cleanliness are often cited a as the reasons for unclean cities. The Nirmala Nagara Programme proposes to develop a scientific system of waste segregation, collection, and disposal, by the cities in Karnataka. It expects to do this by instilling good management practise, infusing technology and by bringing in appropriate human and other resources.

             The programme will be undertaken in two stage in the First phase a public campaign will be launches to raise awareness about cleanliness. A massive effort will be launched to clean up the town/cities. The campaign will involve citizens, NCC, NSS, school children, government employees, local elected representatives and several others. During this phase, existing human resources will be revitalised to deliver. In the second phase, implementation of the scientific waste management practices will begin. The phase will include promotion of segregation of waste at household level; door-to-door waste collection; secondary storage and transportation of waste; composting or inertisation of the organic waste and sanitary landfills.