Chennai: While the neighboring state of Kerala has stringent rules for waste segregation at source, Chennai still faces apathy from residents and the corporation alike.
A resident of Ernakulam, Rani Rajendran, said that the residents of the housing society have been mandated to segregate the organic waste from plastic and non-recyclable waste.
“The conflagration of workers will not pick up the waste if it is not segregated properly. All the plastic disposables, including milk packets, have to be cleaned before their disposal, else they refuse to take the plastic waste. It is a good measure, I feel, as people are more responsible towards society they live in.”
Environmentalist and writer Nityanand Jayaraman said that it the collective responsibility of people and the corporation to make sure that only inert waste goes to landfills.
“The new waste management rules are extremely clear about how companies selling electronic and other non-recyclable items are responsible for proposing a means to dispose of the waste produced and sold by them. Corporation should work with people to recycle organic waste and items that can be reused,” he said.
“Disposing of waste should be done responsibly because rag pickers should not have to rummage through it at the cost of their dignity and health.” Some Chennaites are now taking it upon themselves to segregate waste at source and use the organic waste to make compost through vermicomposting.
