Urban Update May 2014

Title Code: DELENG18712

All India Institute of Local Self Government

Rs 100

UrbanUpdate Setting The Agenda For Tomorrow’s Cities

MAY 2014

Efficient Handling for

Cleaner Tomorrow waste worries

India missing the competitive edge

Impurities flowing from city taps

Community Based Interventions

Professional Empowerment Project Management

Advisory Services Customised Training

Knowledge Management Capacity Building Information, Education and Communication (IEC)

Policy Research

All India Institute of Local Self Government No. 6, F-Block, Bandra Kurla Complex, TPS Road-12, Bandra-East Mumbai-400051, Maharashtra Tel.No.: +91-22-26571713, 26571714, 26571715, Fax: +91-22-2657 2286, Email : contact@aiilsg.org

INSIDE

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Inside

Cover Story 16 Efficient Handling for Cleaner Tomorrow

Rising waste piles call for sustainable management 22 ‘Waste disposal can be money-spinner’

Efficient waste management is the need of the hour, says Dr A K Sahu 24 Waste isn’t a waste

An integrated approach can turn the waste into a precious resource 28 WTE: Tapping the untapped

India needs to harness the globally-practised know-how in WTE 30 The uncounted waste managers

Rag-pickers need to be strengthened and main-streamed VELO-CITY 34 Living up to ‘liveable’ tag

A look at if Chennai’s growth can be sustainable and inclusive Column 36 Missing the Competitive Edge

A report suggests that smaller Indian cities are laggards Centre Stage 40 Impurities flowing from taps

Media reports extensively on water quality in the cities Urban Agenda 46 People-centric innovation in cities

Countries are innovating for creating more liveable urban spaces Regulars 6 Newscan 4

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46 Products

44 Events

EDITORIAL

DR. JATIN MODI PRESIDENT-AIILSG RANJIT CHAVAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & PUBLISHER DIRECTOR GENERAL-AIILSG APRESH C MISHRA MANAGING EDITOR NIRMAL ANSHU RANJAN EXECUTIVE EDITOR LOJY THOMAS, AIILSG ASSOCIATE EDITOR JESSY IYPE DESK EDITOR & REPORTER MEENAKSHI RAJPUT GRAPHIC DESIGNER HEAD OFFICE PLOT NO. 6, F-BLOCK, BANDRA KURLA COMPLEX, TPS ROAD-12, BANDRA-EAST MUMBAI-400051, MAHARASHTRA VOLUME I - ISSUE III FOR FEEDBACK AND INFORMATION WRITE IN AT info@urbanupdate.in PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY RANJIT CHAVAN ON BEHALF OF ALL INDIA INSTITUTE OF LOCAL SELF GOVERNMENT PRINTED AT CIRRUS GRAPHICS PVT LTD B-61, SECTOR-67, NOIDA – 201301 UTTAR PRADESH. PUBLISHED AT PLOT NO. 6, F-BLOCK, BANDRA KURLA COMPLEX, TPS ROAD-12, BANDRA-EAST MUMBAI-400051, MAHARASHTRA DESPITE CAREFUL SELECTION OF SOURCES, NO RESPONSIBILITY CAN BE TAKEN FOR ACCURACY. THE MAGAZINE ASSUMES NO LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY OF ANY KIND IN

A Community Exercise

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olid waste in the urban sector is acquiring the proportions of a menace. Although India has the most comprehensive Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000, in the absence of proper enforcement and implementation, it is just a little more than a mere directive on paper, which has failed to bring much respite to the urban residents across the country. Almost every Indian city has ongoing waste management projects, but no project is operating at the optimum level.

Much has been talked about the issues relating to urban governance, financial health of corporations and marketability of products from recycling, at various forums. But, although waste is a community-based issue, the required bottoms-up approach is still amiss from the projects.

The herculean task of managing solid waste cannot be completed without people-led initiatives and involvement of all the stakeholders playing a vital role in its successful implementation. As SWM is a concerted effort of all stakeholders – civic agencies, RWAs, communities, rag-pickers, NGOs, private parties and the government – each one has to play a pro-active role to make it a success.

NGOs have always proved to be a major catalyst in mobilising community action. They have the expertise to systematically initiate the programme, put the system in place, monitor its progress and provide valuable guidance.

Although seldom counted, informal sector contributes substantially to waste management. Therefore, rag pickers’ need to be strengthened, main-streamed and sustainably engaged in the waste management system.

Similarly, residents’ welfare associations can play a crucial role in awareness generation on segregation at source and making waste generators part of the waste handling process.

Some innovative projects, like Bhagidari and Bangalore Agenda Task Force, have seen public participation, and stakeholders’ engagement facilitated financial mobilisation for the cause. Another recent example of a successful community initiative was seen in Nagpur, where an abused and polluted Nag river was restored to its original glory with the help of residents of the city through a well-coordinated campaign.

Information about such projects should, however, be disseminated properly before their execution, so as to obtain the desired results. Public at large need to be educated and informed about the economics of a joint effort, which would result in huge savings by way of utilisation at source, leading to reduction in manpower, transportation, health services and creation of livelihoods for the weaker sections of the society.

CONNECTION WITH THE INFORMATION THEREOF. ALL RIGHT RESERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE PUBLISHER.

Ranjit Chavan dgaiilsg@gmail.com

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Urban development high on parties’ agenda Having played the second fiddle to the rural sector for long, India’s vibrant urban sector finally seems to have got its due in the electoral politics, with political parties making prepoll promises in plenty to turn the cities upside down NEW DELHI: Out of a billion-plus people, 377 million are living in India’s towns and cities, and in the next 15 years, over 200 million people will be added to the existing urban population. These astounding figures however also entail a plethora of problems, as the cities are illprepared to accommodate the sea of humanity that keeps flowing in.

With growing concerns about the urban issues, all major political parties, in their run-up to the general elections 2014, have given due weightage to city-centric problems in their manifestos. It is reassuring to see the aspirants to the seat of power in Delhi treating urban development as a key agenda.

The Congress party seems to have realised that it can no longer bank on rural votes alone. The word ‘urban’ appears 25 times in its agenda document. It has promised to create 100 new urban clusters around small and emerging cities, and link them with the power and transport facilities, while the BJP has vowed 100 modern cities in tune with the demand of the day.

On the infrastructure front, the saffron brigade has promised to launch diamond quadrilateral project of high-speed train network (bullet 6

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train) and expedite work on the dedicated freight and industrial corridors. The twin steps will not just improve the country’s existing infrastructure, but also create employment. The ruling party had also promised spending $1 trillion in 10 years on setting up industrial corridors for cities.

The BJP’s manifesto, however,

Manifest intents? ♦♦ Major political parties give due weightage to urban issues in their manifestos ♦♦ The word ‘urban’ appears 25 times in Congress party’s agenda document ♦♦ Congress promises 100 new urban clusters with power and transport facilities ♦♦ BJP vows 100 high-tech cities to accommodate future urban population ♦♦ BJP promises diamond quadrilateral project of highspeed bullet train network ♦♦ AAP talks of empowered neighbourhood through Area Councils/Mohalla Sabhas

gave greater details of its urban plan. It said if elected to power, its government would look at urbanisation as an opportunity rather than a threat, and steps would be taken in transport and housing sectors for ‘Urban Upliftment’.

The approach to urban development would be based on integrated habitat development — building on concepts like Twin-cities and Satellite-towns, the party said. To enhance Internet penetration, Wi-Fi facilities would be made available both at public places and commercial centres in cities.

“Growth of this sector means the growth of cement, steel, electricity and many other associated industries and directly leads to massive job creation… We shall modernise existing and operational airports, and build new ones,” BJP manifesto reads.

For the next-generation infrastructure, the party “will set up gas grids to make gas available to households and industry and set up a National Optical-Fibre Network up to the village level”.

The aspiring Aam Aadmi Party, in line with its decentralisation and participatory democratic ethos, has vouched for empowerment of the neighbourhood itself through Area Councils or Mohalla Sabhas.

These Area Councils would have the powers to identify beneficiaries and spend untied funds on the basis of neighbourhood priorities. Local health, education and even police authorities would be accountable to the Area Councils. Once a sense of responsibility builds among the citizens, the Area Councils would be given the power to initiate legislation.

This sub-localism, the party believes, would deepen democracy, and deliver better quality of life.

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Japan pledges Rs 8,933cr ODA for Delhi Metro

NEW DELHI: Japan has announced an official development assistance (ODA) loan of Rs 15,000 crore for five Indian projects, which include expansion of Delhi Metro and works related to wind and solar energy.

This is the largest amount ever signed on a single occasion in the history of Japanese ODA, a Japanese Embassy statement recently said. Elaborating on the projects, the statement said that the ODA loan has provided approximately Rs 8,933 crore to Delhi Metro (Phase 3) in order to enhance its transportation capacity. This project intends to link the existing 190 km radially developed network with additional 116 km belt line, including six routes and six intervals which connect airport and Noida district, and construction of heritage line connecting Central Secretariat, Delhi Gate, Lal Qila and Kashmere Gate.

HC warns Delhi over polluted drain NEW DELHI: The Delhi civic authorities have invited the ire of the Delhi High Court over the state of waste management and sanitation in the capital. The court pulled up the city’s government recently for not cleaning the polluted Najafgarh drain, which is affecting the health of residents due to toxic gases emitting from it. A division bench of Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice Deepa Sharma has asked the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (Notrh DMC) and the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to file a status report on the cleaning of the Najafgarh drain.

Rising CO2 eating away crop protein NEW DELHI: Rising carbon dioxide level in the atmosphere is lowering protein in key dietary crops which may affect the nutritious value of foods, a new study has

warned. According to the report published in the journal Nature Climate Change, a field test has showed that elevated levels of carbon dioxide inhibit plants’ assimilation of nitrate into proteins, indicating that the nutritional quality of food crops is at risk as climate change intensifies. “...this is the first study to demonstrate that elevated carbon dioxide inhibits conversion of nitrate into protein in a field-grown crop,” said lead author Arnold Bloom, of the University of California, adding that the assimilation, or processing, of nitrogen helps in the plant’s growth and productivity.

EFFORTS BEAR FRUITS: Jaipur was recently awarded for ‘Best Practices in Sanitation’ by HUDCO. L C Oswal, Cheif Executive Officer is seen receiving award from Anita Agnihotri, Secretary, HUPA, Government of India, and M Ravikant, CMD, HUDCO

Tatas to set up 4,000 Wifi hotspots in 9 cities

NEW DELHI: The Tata Teleservices will set up Wifi hotspots in as many as nine Indian cities by 2015. It intends to add 3,0004,000 Wifi hotspots at hotels, retail cafes, airports, stadiums, malls and government and education complexes, according to COO (Wifi Business) Avinash Gabriel.

“In the last one year, we have seen the use significantly increase from 170,000 total logins to 465,000. Further, we have clocked 38 million minutes of use as of March this year, up from 18 million minutes in April last year,” he said. Besides the traditional revenue generation model, the operator is also exploring value-added services, such as location-based services/advertising. It has partnerships with Google, Citibank and Shoppers Stop for this purpose.

Welfare schemes for Aurangabad civic staff AURANGABAD: There is good news for the 3,100 Class IV employees of the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation, as the civic body is planning to raise the limit of soft loans offered to them, among other facilities. A meeting of labour welfare fund held earlier in the month decided to offer the employees interest-free loans up to Rs 30,000. The employees’ monthly contribution in the labour welfare fund would be increased from Rs 5 to Rs 25. They can avail the facility to fund their children’s education or marriage.

GHMC offers incentive to early tax payers HYDERABAD: Buoyed by a record collection of property tax - Rs 1,022 crore - in the 2013-14 financial year, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) had announced an ‘Early Bird’ scheme to encourage residents to pay tax in the beginning of the fiscal itself. The payers, who paid the property tax for the current financial year (2014-15) before April 30, got 5 percent rebate on the tax amount, according to GHMC Commissioner Somesh Kumar. The offer was applicable for the current fiscal year’s property tax and not the arrears. The corporation expects Rs 250-crore extra revenue from the scheme. www.urbanupdate.in | May 2014

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HC wants PMC to explain plastics ban

PUNE: Seeking explanation on the Pune Municipal Corporation’s stand on plastic and thermocol ban, the Bombay High Court has asked the civic body to cite reasons for imposing the embargo. The civic body had asked traders to charge customers Rs 15 per carry bag, irrespective of its size.

It had also planned a ban on plastic and thermocol plates and glasses. In March, the general body approved a proposal stating that the administration can take action against traders who offer customers carry bags without making an entry in the bill. Manufacturers of plastic products approached the high court to challenge the move. At present, there is a ban on carrybags less than 50 microns.

Ahmedabad tries afresh for heritage status AHMEDABAD: In March 2011, the capital of Gujarat was among the three Indian cities to make it to UNESCO’s tentative list of World Heritage Cities, though it finally slipped out of the race. Now it is making a fresh bid. Ahmedabad has 36 ASI-protected structures that represent the essence of community living, and a Heritage Cell – the city is first in India to have one – to implement a revitalisation programme for historic sites. In a major boost to its chances, in October last year, the European Commission, chose Ahmedabad to set up a permanent Cultural Heritage and Management Venture Lab.

Revamp ON CARDS: After revamping Connaught Place, New Delhi Municipal Council is going to convert historic Gole Market into a 3D museum soon.

36% Delhi children malnourished

NMMC revenues exceed target in 2013-14

NEW DELHI: About 36 percent of the children in Delhi are malnourished, claims a recently released report. With a nutritional scheme targeted at the 0-6 age-group reaching only 30 percent of the intended beneficiaries, four out of every 10 children in Delhi are malnourished, says the report by NGO Child Rights and You (CRY) and Alliance for People’s Rights (APR). At 38

MUMBAI: Unlike several municipal corporations in Maharashtra blaming it on the local body tax (LBT) for dip in revenues in the last financial year, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC)’s revenues have exceeded the target. In 2012-13, the civic body had collected Rs 420.64 crore cess, whereas in 2013-14, the local body tax department (cess was converted into LBT in the NMMC area from April last year) was able to collect Rs 737.48 crore, which is Rs 316.84 crore more than the financial year 2012-13. The property tax department, another major source of revenue for the Corporation, clocked a target of Rs 373.28 crore on March 31, 2014, as against Rs 321 crore the previous fiscal.

French aid for Shimla rapid transport system

IGNOU course in urban planning from July NEW DELHI: The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), New Delhi is going to start a PG diploma programme in urban planning and development in July.

It will be a distance learning course offered through IGNOU’s regional centres. Initially, the IGNOU would keep only English as the medium of imparting knowledge, though it is open to considering Hindi medium also depending on the response received. The programme will be segregated into areas like introduction to urban development, dynamics of urban planning and development, etc.

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percent, the malnutrition rate is higher among girls than boys (34 percent).

The survey covered 21 blocks/wards and 3,650 children living in slums of west, southwest, north, northwest and northeast areas in Delhi.

SHIMLA: France has extended aid for a rapid transport system in Shimla. The French Ambassador agreed to provide necessary help to build a suitable transport to ease out traffic congestion in the state.

A team shall inspect the geographical conditions of the state before conducting a feasibility study for the project. A technical team from French embassy, after a survey, has already approved light rail transit system as feasible in Shimla. Urban Development Minister Sudhir Sharma and Urban Development Department’s Director Captain J M Pathania had held a meeting with the French Ambassador in Delhi recently in connection with the rapid transport system proposal.

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Mumbai civic body to monitor road work live MUMBAI: To remove the tag of being inefficient in ensuring good, quality roads and inferior repair works in the city, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is likely to switch on a real-time tracking system to have a check on the ongoing works through a software. The software, called ‘Live Works’, will enable the BMC to keep a tab through pictures from the spot and details about materials being used. Costing Rs 30 lakh, Live Work will also cover training for staff and repair work contractors as well as maintenance of the system.

Clear drains before rains, directs Delhi LG NEW DELHI: In view of the experiences on the Delhi rains in the years gone by, the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi has directed the civic authorities to complete desilting of drains by May 15, ahead of the onset of monsoon, to avoid waterlogging in the national capital. At a review meeting held recently, Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung met various officials of various municipal agencies and government departments and warned that their work will be reviewed by mid-May and action taken in case of lapses. The issues discussed at the meeting included preparation to tackle floods in the Yamuna and other nallahs, measures for possible cloudbursts and heavy rainfall, update on desilting of drains and nallahs and setting up of control rooms, and identification of vulnerable areas, among many more.

Noida turns 39, Foundation Day celebrated NOIDA: The New Okhla Industrial Development Authority, better known as abbreviated Noida, celebrated its 39th Foundation Day on April 17. The celebration was, however, a low-key affair, devoid of any pomp and show, marked by a simple havan ceremony and a sports meet for the Authority employees. Present-day Noida came into being on April 17, 1976 for integrated development

Dutch to replace street lights with glowing lines

LONDON: The Netherlands has introduced glow-in-the-dark ‘smart highway’ spanning 500 metres that can replace the need of street lights. The first-time glowing lines technology has been piloted on the N329 in Oss, about 100km south-east of Amsterdam.

Designer and innovator Daan Roosegaarde teamed up with Dutch civil engineering firm Heijmans to develop this technology.

The glow-in-the-dark markings are made of paint that contains photo-luminising powder which charges up in the daytime and slowly releases a green glow at night.

Once the paint has absorbed daylight, it can glow for up to eight hours in the dark, doing away with the need for street lights.

Portal to boost energy in Indian Railways

of the area. Flanked by a host of officials, Noida Chairman Rama Raman performed the havan ceremony at the Authority office. Before this, Mr Raman inaugurated the sports meet at Noida Stadium. A discussion on “The way forward for the city” was also organised to add relevance to the Foundation Day.

ReclaimNG the road: People celebrate ‘Raahgiri Day - Apni Rahen, Apni Azaadi’ in Gurgaon. Raahgiri Day is a daylong event to motivate people to develop living streets that encourage pedestrians, cyclists and other non-motorized transport.

NEW DELHI: In a bid to refine the energy standards and boost its efficiency in the Indian Railways, the Centre of Railway Informatics System (CRIS), under the aegis of the Ministry of Railways inaugurated a web portal recently on Electrical Energy Management System. Called ‘RAILSAVER’, the web-based solution inaugurated by Kul Bhushan, Member Electrical, Railway Board, the portal is supposed to be useful for the Indian Railways in reducing carbon footprint and the cost of electricity by adopting measures like procuring power through trading, bilateral arrangements.

Apple focusses on renewable energy SAN FRANCISCO: Mobile giant Apple has sought a viable solution to procure renewable energy to reduce the pollution caused by its devices by offering free recycling of all its used products and vowing to power all of its stores, offices and data centres. The iPhone and iPad maker is detailing its efforts to cultivate a greener Apple Inc. in an environmental section on the company’s website. The new initiative strives to position Apple as an environmental steward amid the technological whirlwind of gadgets and Internet services that have been drawing more electricity from power plants that primarily run on natural gas and coal. www.urbanupdate.in | May 2014

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Lucknow civic body’s complaint cell earns people’s trust LUCKNOW: The Lucknow Municipal Corporation’s 24*7 complaint cell is turning out to be a real success, with the number of complaints filed going up with each passing day.

“Rising number of calls to the cell, perhaps, suggests that the residents do trust the civic officials for resolution of their problems,” Municipal Commissioner Rakesh Kumar Singh told Urban Update.

With the aim to make the city cleaner and greener, Mayor Dinesh Sharma inaugurated the most modern and technologically well-equipped control room for speedy redressal of public grievances on Jan 1 this year in the RR (Rubbish Removal) Department, Near Municipal Commissioner’s camp office in Gomtinagar area.

The residents can file complaints by visiting http:\\lmc.up.nic.in or http:\\lnnpgrs.in, or call 0522-2307770 or 9415607789 to register their grievances. As soon as a complaint is registered at the control room, an SMS is sent on mobile and to the officials concerned to take necessary action within the stipulated time.

A weekly review meeting of all the LMC departments is held to monitor the pending complaints. Officials who manage to have solved problems in their area need not attend the meeting, but those who have been unable to address complaints need to give reasons for the delay, according to Singh.

It was in February, a month after the launch of the website of its complaint centre in Gomtinagar, that the Corporation received around 30,000 clicks since its inception. The LMC proudly announced having received 6,018 complaints until then, out of which 5,305 cases were resolved – almost 90 percent of them.

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India’s first double-decker flyover opens in Mumbai

MUMBAI: India’s first double-decker flyover, named Santacruz-Chembur Link Road (SCLR), was thrown open for public use on April 18.

The flyover provides a critical eastwest suburban link in the city and has slashed travel time from the earlier 90 minutes to barely 20 minutes.

The flyover spans a total length of 3.45 km and another 1.8-km doubledecker flyover crosses the Central Railway and Harbour Line tracks.

It provides access from the Western Express Highway to Kurla, Tilak Nagar, Chembur and Eastern Express Highway.

The project was planned in 2002 and construction started in 2006. The World Bank-funded SCLR project cost nearly Rs 4.54 billion.

However, the motorists hoping to save time while taking the SCLR would have to crawl through certain sections as the traffic police have imposed a speed limit of 30kmph on the bridges, to ensure smooth flow of traffic.

“The maximum speed limit for all types of vehicles will be only up to 30 km per hour on all the bridges,” read a statement issued by the traffic police. The other restrictions include no stopping and parking along the entire stretch of the SCLR. Traffic police have also barred entry and movement of heavy vehicles except

♦♦ The flyover provides a critical east-west suburban link in the city ♦♦ It slashes travel time from earlier 90 minutes to 20 minutes ♦♦ The World Bank-funded SCLR project cost nearly Rs 4.54 billion

BEST and state transport buses.

Bicycles, tricycles and autotricycles used by disabled persons, animal carts and hand-pulled carts and pedestrian movement on SCLR bridge from Chedda Nagar, Mother Dairy, Nehru Nagar, Kurla (East), Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT), Tilak Nagar as well as from the road connecting SCLR from Amar Mahal junction and Shanta Jog Marg have also been banned.

Further, some roads, where parking for all types of vehicles including heavy motor vehicles have been barred, are RT Kadam Marg (Raj Marg), Govalkar Guruji Marg (adjoining road of Tansa pipeline) till junction of Sarodaya Buddha Vihar, Tilak Nagar, Chembur, Vidyavihar railway station (East) from Sinduwadi junction till end of the said road, RT Kadam Marg till SCLR, LTT and area in between Ameya and Pratiksha CHS, Tilak Nagar, Chembur, from the SCLR bridge till Amar Mahal and vice versa.

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Thermal plants add to rising temperature

BHUBANESWAR: Following reports of alarming air pollution and rising temperatures due to presence of thermal plants located in Sambalpur-JharsugudaDhenkanal-Angul belt, an Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) study revealed that the power plants contribute to rise in ambient temperature by 2 to 3 degree Celsius. Most of the thermal power plants in the state are located in the same belt, which have five mega thermal power plants, generating about 5,500MW electricity. Known as coal town, Talcher frequently records 45-plus degree Celsius, which has become a cause of concern. At present, temperature is hovering around 40 to 41 degree Celsius in the town.

4.5 lakh child labourers in e-waste trade

LUCKNOW: In a sad disclosure, an Assocham study has revealed that about 4.5 lakh child labourers in the age group of 10-14 are engaged in various e-waste activities, and that too without adequate protection in various yards and recycling workshops. Releasing the study - ‘Electronic Waste Management in India’, was jointly conducted by the Assocham and Frost & Sullivan - on April 22, the Assocham highlighted that the informal recycling industry often employs children to dismantle electronic waste. A meagre 4 percent of India’s total e-waste gets recycled due to poor infrastructure, legislation and framework, which lead to a waste of natural resources.

Delhiites upset with underground Metro vibrations NEW DELHI: Metro train, an optimum solution for public transport woes, is now a nightmare for the residents of a South Delhi colony for

being subjected to the movement of underground metro trains, which cause noise and vibration, and pose a threat to the structural safety of the houses. In an unusual plea, Saket residents have approached the Delhi HighCourt raising apprehensions about the safety of their buildings due to the movement of underground Yellow Line metro trains. The court has now sought a reply from the Centre on the complaint of the residents about highlevel noise and vibration caused by the movement of Metro trains running on the Yellow Line.

IN FAVOUR OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Post-Lok Sabha polls, 426 brand new BEST buses will hit the Mumbai roads, 50 of which will be air-conditioned. The emphasis on AC buses aims to encourage officegoers to use buses instead of their own cars.

High Court approached over GHMC arrears

HYDERABAD: Citing inaction of the government in not releasing the legitimate share of the corporation in respect of property tax, motor vehicle tax and professional tax, causing hardship to the citizens, as there is enough funds to improve civic amenities, a PIL urged the Andhra Pradesh High Court to direct the state government to pay the tax arrears to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) within two months.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta and Justice PV Sanjay Kumar was dealing with a PIL by the Federation of Associations of Colonies and Apartments, Hyderabad City Committee.

Yamuna, Hindon still prey to illegal constructions NOIDA: The illegal establishment of concrete structures and farmhouses along the riverbeds of Yamuna and Hindon is quite rampant and disturbing the surrounding ecology, but the development authorities of Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway seem to have turned a blind eye to those unlawful constructions going on unabated in the district, according to a media report.

With the authorities taking no stringent action against the encroachers, sale of unauthorised farmhouses along the two rivers continues.

India’s textiles industry booms globally NEW DELHI: The Indian textile industry is one of the largest in the world and earns around 27 percent of the foreign exchange from exports of textiles and its related products. As per a data released recently by the WTO Secretariat for the calendar years 2009, 2010 and 2011, the share of Indian textiles and clothing exports in world’s export was 3.98 percent, 3.98 percent and 4.11 percent, respectively.

The industry has the advantages of high operational efficiencies in spinning and weaving, low-cost skilled labour, availability of raw materials and design capabilities, and upgraded technology. www.urbanupdate.in | May 2014

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Dholera project ‘utopian experiment’, writes London-based news daily ♦♦ The project, largest of the proposed 24 smart cities along the DMIC, termed ‘unrealistic’ ♦♦ The choice of location for the project, its size and land acquisition process questioned ♦♦ Project developers are the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation

NEW DELHI: A globally-acclaimed London daily has severely criticised Dholera project — largest of the proposed 24 high-tech smart cities projects along the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) — in Gujarat terming it a “utopian urban experiment”.

Appearing in the widely-acclaimed London-based newspaper The Guardian’s online edition on April 17, the report carries the headline “India’s smart city craze: big, green and doomed from the start?”

The report raises several questions relating to the choice of location of the proposed industrial city, its size (which is twice the size of Mumbai, it says), the process of land acquisition for the

project and above all, whether it is too idealistic to be a real one. In short, it puts a question mark on the very prudence of the smart city idea in Dholera region.

The project had found a mention in the Finance Minister’s budget speech in 2013 as one of the state’s key investments to accommodate rising urban population and induce growth along the Delhi-Mumbai corridor. “...In this city, there are no offensive smells, no noise, no dust, no heaving crowds. It is a smart city, the ideal city. And it exists: on paper. Its name is Dholera, and it is a key part of what you might call India’s 21st-century utopian urban experiment,” reads the news report.

Software to help curb auto refusal menace MUMBAI: Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) in the city will soon get a software that will help them discipline errant auto and taxi drivers.

The new system will link the tollfree helpline with the computerised database of these vehicles. The moment a commuter registers a complaint of refusal, rude behaviour or excess fare against a driver, RTO officials will get the entire history of the person and take action against him accordingly.

The Transport Department has a database of all vehicles registered post-2006. Records of auto and taxi permit holders are also being updated 12

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♦♦ The software will link a toll-free helpline number with the computerised database of vehicles ♦♦ Commuters will be required to lodge complaints against errant drivers through the number ♦♦ Acting on the complaint, RTO officials will find details of those drivers and initiate action based on the annual fitness tests. It is mandatory for every auto and taxi driver to bring his vehicle to the RTO once a year for the mandatory fitness certificates.

“This will help us prosecute the driver at the earliest and impose

penalty or suspend his licence or permit depending on the severity of the offence,” said a senior RTO official.

Once the new system is in place, commuters can dial the IVRS toll-free helpline 1800-22-0110 and mention the registration number of the auto or taxi against which the complaint is lodged.

The digital data of the permit holder will appear automatically with the complaint and the RTO officials can take immediate action, sources said. Citizens have demanded that the RTOs should also send an acknowledgment to the caller once action is taken against the driver.

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Hiked land deed fees push Jaipur house prices

JAIPUR: Now owning a plot in housing schemes of the Jaipur Development Authority’s (JDA) periphery might be a costlier affair. The authorities have asked plot owners to shell out more money to procure land deeds. The decision, taken recently at the Building Planning Committee Meeting, is seen as a solution for generating more funds for the JDA while also reducing burden on the residents. The JDA will charge between Rs 3,000 and Rs 5,000 to approve construction on a land deed. The JDA has made this provision mandatory for all those who will apply to procure land deeds for a plot size up to 500 meters.

PIL for better services in Chennai hospitals CHENNAI: Quoting poor infrastructure and medical facilities, and delayed arrival of doctors and unsupervised diagnosis that adversely affected the 4,000-odd patients at the city’s Chengalpet Medical College Hospital, a public interest litigation (PIL) has urged the Madras High Court to order the government to provide quality healthcare to the patients.

The PIL of Ossie Fernandes came up before a High Court bench, which issued notices to the government, Directorate of Medical Services and the Chengalpet Medical College Hospital administration.

The petitioner said the hospital was not providing quality medical attention, and the patients were subjugated to inclement weather and infection.

Mumbai monorail timings extended MUMBAI: In its bid to cater to more travellers, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) will extend the monorail time to 14 hours a day from April 15. As per the extended

schedule, the services will run at a frequency of 15 minutes. The first train will depart at 6am from Wadala and Chembur stations said MMRDA Joint Project Director (PR) Dilip Kawathkar in a media statement. The services have been running between 7am and 3pm, but according to the revised timings, now the services will be available from 6am to 8pm.

Kawathkar added that extending timings would help serve the evening rush hours.

FORCED CANDLE LIGHT DINNER? A diner awaits his meal at a city hotel during a power cut. Outage in Pune will soon be a history with Akola-Aurangabad Electrical Power Grid work nearing completion. The project will jack up the plant’s production capacity from 1000 MW to 2000 MW.

Haryana to help Andhra end power woes

HYDERABAD: In the wake of massive electricity shortage due to Rabi season and the peak summer demand of the state, the Haryana Government has agreed to provide 276.83MW power to Andhra Pradesh from its Aravali Power Company at Jhajjar, to help the state meet its needs for the time being. Governor ESL Narasimhan had written a letter to the Union power ministry requesting for additional power in the wake of massive shortage, responding to which the central government asked the Haryana power utilities to extend supply to the state. The APCPL is already supplying 226.17MW power to the state.

Jaipur mulls halting city bus service JAIPUR: To give a fillip to the Metro ridership in the city, the Jaipur Metro Rail Corporation (JMRC) is looking over a proposal to discontinue low-floor bus service between Mansarovar and Chandpole. Urban development expert and members of the state planning board reviewed the ongoing projects in the state recently on the difficulties and challenges faced by the department in their implementation. Financial viability and ridership of the Jaipur Metro phase - I were also came up for discussison and suggestions given on the proper coordination that the Metro and the buses should have to improve connectivity.

Kayathar-Chennai electricity line soon CHENNAI: The much awaited respite from the state’s power woes through transmission of renewable power from the Kayathar-Chennai transmission line, largest wind belt in Tamil Nadu, will be commissioned soon. According to sources, more power — up to 1,500 MW — from windmills in that region could be moved to consumption centres like Chennai, which would lead to less power cuts in the city. The Khayathar region is one of the four major wind power pockets in the southern state, others being Aralvaimozhi, Andipatti, Palghat. www.urbanupdate.in | May 2014

13

NEWSCAN

NDMC plans to set up new trash plants

NEW DELHI: As part of its green initiative in a bid to practice efficient waste management in the city, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) plans to set up small-scale waste-to-plant units in localities within its jurisdiction.

The first such plant will be set up near the Safdarjung Hospital. Currently, the waste generated in the NDMC areas is close to 250 metric tonnes per day. These are sent to the waste-to-plant units in Okhla. According to officials, due to high transportation cost and technical problems, often the entire waste is not transported to the landfill site.

Bhopal leaving behind carbon footprint BHOPAL: The City of Lakes is said to be leaving behind a huge carbon footprint on the environment. According to a report, “Low carbon society scenario - Bhopal 2035” by MANIT and School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), fuel wood, LPG and kerosene play contribute up to 70 percent to energy generation in the city.

The commercial transport sector of the city causes more than 80 percent of the total CO2 emissions. In order to develop Bhopal as a low-carbon society by 2035, the report provides certain proposals like adopting green technologies in all civic service provisions, among others.

TIME-TESTED TECHNIQUES: US Consular General to Kolkata Helen LaFave and West Bengal’s First Lady Padmini Narayanan unveiled a book - Pathways to the Green Cities – in Kolkata on April 18. The book contains 24 success stories on innovative strategies that made the cities greener.

Beijing’s canopy to fight smog pollution

GE invests $24mn in Indian solar project

BEIJING: After being branded the world’s worst smog-hit capital, Beijing seems determined to fight the climatic conditions by inventing a sealed canopy filled with clean air. An architecture firm Orproject has proposed the construction of the project called Bubbles, where a cordon shade of pure air would cover a park and botanical garden, providing a healthy, temperatureand humidity-controlled area. Bubbles is based

MUMBAI: Marking its first investment in a solar power assignment in India, the General Electric Co’s unit GE Energy Financial Services recently informed about investing $24 million in a project built by Welspun Renewables Energy Pvt Ltd (WREPL). The GE Energy Financial Services will fund a 151 (DC)-megawatt solar photovoltaic power project in Neemuch in Madhya Pradesh, which the WREPL had put into operation in August 2013. With this transaction, the GE Energy Financial Services will make its cumulative investments of over $10 billion in renewable energy worldwide, including $1.8 billion in solar power commitments in seven countries, said the statement.

Green bonds as tool to lower energy cost NEW DELHI: According to a new study, sponsoring renewable projects with government-backed green bonds could lower the cost of clean power by as much as 25 percent. The government could sell bonds and lend the proceeds to wind and solar farm developers. The study was conducted by the Indian School of Business and Climate Policy Initiative, a San Francisco-based research firm. India, ranked as Asia’s third-most attractive country for renewable investments by Ernst & Young this year, plans to double its clean-energy capacity to 55 giga watts by 2017. Lack of affordable financing is an obstacle to reaching that target 14

May 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

on the principles of biomimetic architecture, typically lightweight environmental structures inspired by the nature.

The geometry of the Bubbles canopy is generated using an algorithm that simulates the development of veins in leaves or in butterfly wings.

PCMC to impose weekly water cuts PUNE: Failing to keep pace with the city’s burgeoning population, the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) for the first time is witnessing a water shortage forcing the civic body to impose a water cut. The population of the twin townships increased from 2.49 lakh in 1982 to 17.29 lakh, as per the 2011 census. The civic body’s water supply department has been forced to suspend evening water supply once a week in some parts within the municipal limits with the summer peaking. The demand for water has increased by around 15-20 million litre per day (MLD), but the water availability has not increased proportionately, informed officials.

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COVER STORY

waste worries

Efficient Handling for

Cleaner Tomorrow Consequent to massive urbanisation in the country, the widening gap between the amount of waste generated and handled is resulting in major climate and health issues, calling for its sustainable handling and treatment to ward off the lurking threats in the cities Ranjith Annepu, Co-Founder, be Waste Wise

I

ndian cities are witnessing unprecedented urbanisation and population growth, resulting in huge quantities of waste generation. Due to the changing lifestyles and consumption patterns, the composition of waste has also been changing. Further, industrialisation and economic growth are only adding to the mounds of waste, making waste hazardous to the nation’s public health, and local and global environment. What is needed today is efficient handling of those massive heaps of waste, so as to minimise its harmful effects on public health, air, water and land resources.

The Scenario

Currently, the total municipal solid waste (MSW) generated in urban India stands at 68.8 million tons per year (TPY), an increase of over 50 percent compared to 2001. The country is set to generate 920 million TPY of MSW by the end of this decade and 160.5 million TPY, at the rate of 440,000 tons per day (TPD), by 2041.

Open burning of solid waste and landfill fires emit nearly 22,000 TPY of pollutants into the air in the city of Mumbai alone. Since open burning

16

May 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

happens at ground level, the resultant emissions enter the lower level breathing zone of the atmosphere, increasing health risks.

Local governments, which are primarily responsible for waste management, are finding it hard to provide or implement immediate solutions. Since policy gridlock persists, public health continues to be affected, environmental resources go on getting polluted and, as a result, quality of life goes on degrading.

Fourteen years since the Municipal Solid Waste (Handling and Management) Rules 2000 were issued by the Ministry of Environment and

COVER STORY Forests, the progress achieved has been rather little: hardly any city complies with the MSW Rules, and open dumping, open burning and landfill (dumpsite) fires continue, thus, exposing all living beings to various health risks.

The inability to provide immediate solutions to waste management problems has left cities grappling with the problem of increasing quantities of waste, and is already escalating public unease in different parts of the country. This will aggravate the waste management crisis further if the authorities concerned do not leverage the current situation, which, however, has also resulted in increased awareness about the phenomenon of

Local governments should understand that the sector is a service-oriented one that requires constant cash flow. They must devise ways to meet their costs. Many corporations try to recover the collection and transportation costs through user charges, which is often met with resistance from the households waste handling and a search for longterm measures to handle it.

Limited options

Municipal corporations have limited options and, therefore, are not able to deliver integrated waste management systems immediately. There is a need to install waste management facilities inside or near the cities, but no one wants those facilities to come up near his residence. Finding new landfill sites around cities is nearly impossible due to the sheer lack of space for Locally Unwanted Land Uses (LULUs) because of the population density and the scale of increasing urban sprawl.

Owing to lack of alternatives, other than diverting waste fractionally by increasing informal recycling sector’s role, closing existing landfills would mean finding new sites, which is nearly impossible because of the track record of dumpsite operations and maintenance in India and the not-inmy-backyard tendency of people.

But, the corporations can still take measures to reduce landfill fires and open burning, and control pollution from the leachate, odour and vector nuisance. This will provide muchneeded relief to adjacent communities and give them time to plan better.

While navigating through an issue as sensitive as this, it is of utmost importance that they work closely with the community by increasing

Amit Mittal CMD A2Z Infrastructure

clarity and transparency.

Judiciary as people’s platform

The Indian judicial system has proved to be the most effective tool for the public to influence government action. A large number of local and national governments’ activity directed towards improving

MSW in India 42

mn tons/annum Total municipal solid waste production

200-600 gm/day Per capita generation of waste

5.0

percent /annum Total waste generation increase rate

1.3

percent /annum Per capita waste generation increase rate

50-90

percent Collection efficiency for generated waste

www.urbanupdate.in | May 2014

17

COVER STORY

Genesis of Urban Waste Growth 32 %

Population 26,00,59,784

Population 34,27,71,215

2021 2011 50 % Growth

Waste Generation 129592.7277 TPD

Waste Generation 194936.0692 TPD

THE MISMATCH: The growth of waste generation is much higher than that of the population in the country

Others 15.57%

Maharashtra 17.07%

West Bengal 11.98%

Madhya Pradesh 3.82%

West 26%

Uttar Pradesh 9.98%

Rajasthan 3.82%

East 17% North 30%

Tamil Nadu 9.05%

Gujarat 5.44% Karnataka 6% Andhra Pradesh 8.75%

Delhi 8.88%

South 27%

11520

Delhi

Mumbai 8646

Kolkata

7568

6117

21660

4922

11123

17405

16,972

11040

STATEWISE: Maharashtra generates 17 percent of total waste volume, while West India generates nearly one fourth of waste volume

Hyderabad

Chennai

Population MSW TPD

CONTRIBUTION: The metros are the largest waste generators in the country

18

May 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

municipal solid waste management are the results of direct public action, funnelled through high courts in each state, and through the Supreme Court.

This started as early as 1996 when a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Supreme Court resulted in India drafting its first MSW (Management and Handling) Rules 2000.

In a more recent case (November 2012), a slew of PILs led the Karnataka High Court to threaten to supersede its state capital Bengaluru’s elected municipal council and its dissolution, if it hindered efforts to improve waste management in the city. In this case, the Court followed up on the results of actions taken by the city based on previous court orders, and noted that people were restless and unsatisfied with the city’s performance.

In another case, in the state of Haryana, two senior officials in its urban development board faced prosecution by the High Court for dumping waste illegally in suburbs.

India’s strong and independent judiciary is expected to play an increasingly important role in waste management in the future, but it cannot bring about the required changes without the aid of a comprehensive national policy.

Problems with planning, policies

Out of all the measures necessary for addressing India’s impending waste management crisis, the most effective will be changes at the national policy and planning level. It is expected that an average of 32,000 people will be added to urban India every day in the next decade through 2021. This number is a warning considering how the country’s waste management infrastructure failed to cope with addition of just 25,000 new urban Indians daily in the last decade.

The scale of urbanisation in India and around the world is unprecedented resulting in planetary consequences to Earth’s limited material and energy resources, and its natural balance. The rate of increase in access to sanitation infrastructure generally lags behind

COVER STORY the rate of urbanisation by 33 percent around the world. However, the lack of planning and impromptu piecemeal responses to waste management issues observed in India could hint at a much wider gap.

Long-term national level plans to improve waste management in India do not exist and the guidance offered to urban local bodies is also meagre.

A growing industry

Solid Waste Management industry in India is young and growing, with a significant influx of new players from other sectors. Most of the industry is involved in collection, transportation, landfills and mechanical biological treatment contracts.

In the next three years, it is expected that India will have more than nine new waste-to-energy (WTE) plants in Mumbai (1), Thane (1), Cochin (1), Hyderabad (2), Chennai (2) and New Delhi (2 more). This is a big number considering that no new WTE facilities were constructed in the US in the last 15 years, and it landfills more than 50 percent of waste.

In 2005, the Government of India responded to the challenge of solid waste management by investing $510 million (INR 2,500 crore) in Public Private Partnership (PPPs) projects initiated by local governments under its Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM). The PPPs have been aiding the local governments in dealing with the tremendous pressure on limited infrastructure caused by increasing quantities of waste.

In addition to complementing the budgetary and human resources of the public sector, the inclusion of private sector in infra projects increases accountability, and improves the efficiency of project management and delivery.

Ray of hope

While the situation across India is grim and official action has to be demanded through courts or public protests, there are only a handful of local governments which are planning

We are trying to ape technologies that are not time-tested and without understanding the implications and the costs involved … we want European standards at Chinese costs. Further, we don’t have any standards on emissions.

Unless we have parameters in place, opting for incineration could be disastrous

Dr Irfan Furniturewala Managing Director Hanjer Biotech

Status of SWM in India ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦

Storage of waste at source is lacking Segregation of recyclable waste is not done at source Primary collection of waste is not done at place of generation Design & location of municipal waste storage depots are inappropriate, resulting in littering of garbage Street sweeping is not done everyday Waste transportation is done in open vehicles Waste processing is partially practised in 35 ULBs areas only Final disposal is done through crude dumping Rag-pickers collect recyclables from municipal bins/dumpsites and litter the waste causing insanitary conditions

Why Improper Management? ♦♦ Lack of planning for waste management while planning townships ♦♦ Lack of proper institutional set-up for waste management, planning and designing in urban local bodies ♦♦ Lack of technically trained manpower ♦♦ Lack of community involvement ♦♦ Lack of expertise and exposure to city waste management using modern techniques/ best practices ♦♦ Lack of awareness generation mechanism ♦♦ Lack of Management Information Systems ♦♦ Lack of funds with Urban Local Bodies ♦♦ Indifferent attitude of ULBs to levy user charges and sustainability

The Imperatives ♦♦ Outsourcing of all activities under Solid Waste Management Services recommended by 12th Finance Commission for using grants ♦♦ ULBs should concentrate on segregation of waste at source ♦♦ Waste processing like composting, bio-methanation be done through public-private partnerships/private sector ♦♦ Final disposal, viz. sanitary landfilling, be done under public private partnerships/ private sector ♦♦ Bio-medical waste be managed by central bio-medical waste management facilities

www.urbanupdate.in | May 2014

19

COVER STORY

The PPP model in waste management in our country has not matured with the trend of signing the concession agreement on dotted lines. PPPs will be successful when there is a proven revenue model…

Concession agreement should always be treated as an ‘agreement between parties under PPP spirit’ not a ‘regulation’

K. Sreenivasa Rao Director - BD Hitachi Zosen India Pvt Ltd

Government Initiatives ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦

Bio-medical Waste Handling Rules, 1998 notified Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules, 2000 notified Reforms Agenda (fiscal, institutional, legal) cleared Technical Manual on Municipal Solid Waste Management released Technology Advisory Group on Municipal Solid Waste Management formed Inter-Ministerial Task Force on Integrated Plant Nutrient Management from city compost formed Tax-free bonds by ULBs permitted by government Income-tax relief granted to waste management agencies Public-private partnership in SWM initiated Capacity building brought in focus Urban Reforms Incentive Fund formed Guidelines for PSP and setting up of regulatory authority finalised Commercial accounting system in ULBs & other Sector Reforms introduced Model municipal by-laws framed/circulated for benefit of ULBs Financial Assistance by 12th Finance Commission granted

Waste processing / Suggested disposal methods approaches ♦♦ Wealth from waste (processing of organic waste) Waste to compost: 1. Aerobic/anaerobic composting 2. Vermi-composting Waste to energy: 1. Refuse derived fuel (RDF) / pelletisation 2. Bio-methanation ♦♦ Recycling of waste ♦♦ Sanitary landfilling ♦♦ Treatment of bio-medical waste separately

20 May 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

♦♦ Possible waste management options: 1. Waste minimisation 2. Material recycling 3. Waste processing 4. Waste transformation 5. Sanitary landfilling – limited land availability is a constraint in metros ♦♦ Processing / treatment should be 1. Technically sound 2. Financially viable 3. Environment-friendly 4. Easy to operate & maintain by local community 5. Sustainable in long run

beforehand and leading the way. The steps taken to solve New Delhi’s waste problem is one such initiative.

If it was not for the kind of leadership and determination demonstrated in Delhi, India would not have had its only operating WTE plant here.

This plant was built in 2011, at a time when the need for WTE plants was being felt all over India. 1,300 tons of Delhi’s waste goes into this facility every day to generate electricity.

Successful operation of this facility also reinvigorated dormant projects.

After living with heaps of garbage for months, Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation started penalising institutions which dump their waste openly. It has also increased the subsidy on the cost of small-scale biogas units to 75 percent and aerobic composting units to 90 percent to encourage decentralised waste management. The corporation is optimistic with the increase in number of applications for the subsidy from 10 in an entire year to 18 in just a few months after the announcement.

In Bengaluru, improper waste management led to the change of the city’s Municipal Commissioner. The new Commissioner was assigned the task to particularly improve waste management in the city. In response to the dengue outbreak in Kolkata, the state’s Chief Minister went door- todoor to create awareness about waste management, and also included the topic in her public speeches. Many cities in India have started or initiated steps for banning plastics without performing lifecycle analyses.

What next?

Integrated waste management is the coordinated use of a strategically chosen set of waste management options which play specific roles in prevention and reduction of waste and its transportation, and in material and energy recovery from wastes towards achieving maximum efficiency.

Experts believe India will have more than nine WTE projects in different cities across India in the next three

COVER STORY years, which will help improve the situation to a great extent. However, since waste-to-energy combustion projects are designed to replace landfills, they also tend to displace informal settlements on the landfills.

The government should welcome discussions with local communities and harbour the informal recycling community by integrating it into the overall waste management system to make sure they do not lose their rights for the rest of the city’s residents.

This is important from a utilitarian perspective, too, because in case of emergency situations like those in Bengaluru, Kerala and elsewhere, the informal recycling community might be the only existing tool to mitigate damage due to improper waste management as opposed to infrastructure projects which take more than one year for completion or the public awareness programmes which take decades to show results.

Indian policy makers and municipal officials should utilise this opportunity, created by improper waste management examples across the country, to make adjustments to the existing MSW Rules 2000, and design a concrete national policy based on needs, backed by science.

The impending waste management crisis in India should be approached holistically: while planning for longterm solutions, focus on addressing the immediate problems should be maintained. The national and local governments should work with their partners to promote source segregation, achieve higher percentage of recycling and produce high quality compost from organics.

While this is being achieved and recycling is increased, provisions should be made to handle the nonrecyclable wastes that are being generated and will continue to in the future as well.

Direct your queries to rka2109@caa.columbia.edu

LeaderSpeak

Segregation-at-source approach will deliver Dr Jatin Modi President, AIILSG

T

he rising influx of population in urban areas and the ever-changing consumption patterns have only created heaps of waste in the cities. And, the vicious circle of poor waste management policies, lack of technologies and the consequent larger waste piles has kept the possibility of turning the task of waste disposal into a profitable exercise mostly out of reckoning. The waste management gaps in the cities are today a cause of worry.

Lack of mechanism

One of the problems of the waste management sector in the country has been lack of source segregation at the household level. While most of the developed countries have put in place mechanisms for source segregation, India is still looking for ways to incorporate it in the waste management system.

Composting of sourcesegregated waste is considered best possible solution in handling waste menace globally, but the challenges remain in India where segregation at household stage is virtually non-existent.

Some of the developed countries have practised mandatory recycling programmes and slapped penalties, including direct charges

on households. Through punitive actions, like imposing of price per unit of the waste generated, authorities target reducing the quantum of waste generation.

However, it is next to difficult to enforce such penalties in India.

Furthermore, the high cost of monitoring illegal dumping will for sure render the policy a nonstarter in the Indian context.

The solution

Incentivising source segregation, practised extensively and successfully in the developed countries, is a time-tested idea that the policy makers must take into account.

However, when incentives are given to the households, given the current price levels of composting, market forces are not unlikely to come forward in a big way. Therefore, government intervention with civic groups support is required to make such waste available to composting firms at a reasonable cost.

The larger the gap between waste volume and handling, the greater will become the possibility of Indian cities facing all sorts of waste management-related problems. If the country has to go zero waste, enforcing segregation at source will be the first step in the right direction.

www.urbanupdate.in | May 2014

21

COVER STORY

‘Waste disposal can be money-spinner’ What are the factors hindering an effective solid waste management (SWM) policy?

Efficient waste management is the need of the hour, seeking urgent attention of the various stakeholders in the sector to address the concerns in a holistic manner while also making it a lucrative proposition, believes President of the National Solid Waste Association Of India (NSWAI), Dr Amiya Kumar Sahu in an interview with Jessy Iype.

Excerpts:

The country lacks good governance and requires more qualified policy makers, who can ensure implementation of best-suited schemes on waste management.

What measures would you suggest for proper execution of policies?

Policies in this sector have not been executed adequately due to the geographical diversities. They need to be made flexible and mandatory for each municipal corporation.

There should be functional departments on capacity building and waste management. And lastly, municipalities should conduct informative sessions on waste identification, organise workshops, conferences and seminars periodically or every month or maybe once a year for the waste managers, citizens, policy makers... But this will ensure proper implementation of SWM schemes.

How can we reduce generation of piles of waste in the cities every day?

It is the social responsibility of every citizen to help reduce waste. This can be achieved by adopting the three ‘Rs’ of waste management – recycle, reuse and reduce.

What are the global best practices for low incineration and high material recovery?

The global best practices for incineration are mainly visible in the European countries, except the UK. All coal-producing countries, including Germany, incinerate. These countries burn their waste and use the steam for generating energy. This method cannot be adopted in our country because it is a very

22 May 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

‘

‘

The country lacks good governance and requires more qualified policy makers, who can ensure implementation of bestsuited schemes on waste management

COVER STORY expensive proposition.

Are adequate measures in place for the safety of rag-pickers or wastecollectors?

No. In fact, there are no safety measures for rag-pickers in India because they are controlled by ring leaders or the mafia. These wastecollectors are most exposed to the perils while segregating waste without any protection in the dump yards.

The municipal corporations should ensure employee identification cards, along with a mask, a pair of gloves and boots, and periodical health checkups for them.

Your comments on the allocation and utilisation of funds for SWM?

The Indian government is not efficiently using the allocated funds for SWM. While it went ahead to borrow from the World Bank for infrastructure projects, like construction of highways, and metro and monorail projects, the SWM sector is conveniently ignored.

In our country, the concept of tipping fees (payment of tax by citizens based on the amount of waste generated by them) should be practised to generate resources as well as awareness about the issue.

What projects the NSWAI has in mind for landfills and dumping grounds with regard to solid waste management?

The NSWAI believes in not dumping the waste. Final waste products need to be disposed of in a scientific manner in a secure landfill system.

Unfortunately, the government of India doesn’t have space for proper disposal of solid waste management.

We should envisage efficient methods to discard final ruins, else it could result in heaps of mountains of waste, as seen in many metro cities. If we ensure disposal at the primary stage, in our households, then we’ll not be left with much of the final waste, thus eliminating the need for a landfill.

Are we adopting the SWM trade mechanisms of the European coun-

tries, said to be most successful models?

Yes, we are. A few years back, I had claimed through the media that ‘garbage is money’, though I was laughed at. But I believed firmly that nothing is called garbage and that it is the leftover of some communitybased product, which can be recycled, recovered and reused, and also used to produce energy. If such by-products are handled efficiently, as in the European countries, there is nothing like waste – it is a money-spinning material. The NSWAI is encouraging young entrepreneurs to come into the market and turn garbage disposal a profitable business.

Are we at par with the standards of the EU or any other international parameter in reverse engineering practices?

We should not compare our kind of waste with the EU standards or with any developed country, as our garbage has a lot of moisture and biodegradable content in it, which need to be handled in a suitable manner. We cannot blindly follow the EU norms, as even their incineration

practice can be banned here... The government should start waste-toenergy corporations. It may be a costly proposition initially, but in the long run it will be very beneficial in procuring waste segregation and energy simultaneously, as there is persistent demand for energy.

Do you think suitable steps are being taken to recycle the non-biodegradable raw industrial waste, and what is the role of the NSWAI in it?

Industrial waste is toxic and nonbiodegradable, so it should be incinerated. As it contains high value, I had suggested to the government in 1998 to get the incineration technology from Denmark, but it was not accepted due to the differences between various state governments. It is not that we can’t obtain suitable methods to efficient waste management...all it needs is initiation from all quarters and proper governance.

Direct your queries to

jessy@urbanupdate.in

www.urbanupdate.in | May 2014

23

COVER STORY

Integrated Waste Management

waste

ISN’T A waste Efficient handling of municipal solid waste coupled with an integrated approach to its management can turn the accumulating urban menace into a precious resource Shyamala Mani, Professor, National Institute of Urban Affairs

W

hile the city planners appear to be in an overdrive mode to create more cities for accommodating the ever-swelling numbers of urban dwellers, in contrast, relatively fewer efforts meet the eyes to keep the urban space clean by ensuring efficient handling of mounting piles of waste. As the urban population grows, the problem of municipal solid waste (MSW) disposal is only going to get acute. Moreover, with India being a tourism hub where people flock from various parts of the globe, these garbage mounds and their impending negative impacts on the environment could send undesirable signals to the world.

Integrated use of waste

As energy prices rise on account of growing demands and depleting natural resources, there is a global effort to find and fuel alternative sources of energy. The 24 May 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

Latent energy The concept of ‘integrated waste management’ is fast gaining ground, as municipal solid waste is found to be hiding substantial energy potential. The eco-friendly waste-to-energy method is catching up fast in countries across the globe as an opportunity in necessity: this method also leads to safer disposal of waste

COVER STORY

The modern twist

Decentralized Waste Water Treatment: The Money Saver Particulars

COST (Rs in Lakhs per annum)

Surcharge on water bill for non-disposal of sewage

14.60

Using Treated Water from STP for gardening

27.50

Using Sludge cake from STP

02.00

Laying long trunk for irrigation and pumping

16.00

50K LPD of treated waste water given to NDMC

00.52

effort is aimed at not only reducing pressures on the traditional energy sources, but also devising energy generation processes which can help keep the environment cleaner while meeting the rising demands.

In such a scenario, the concept of ‘integrated waste management’ is fast gaining ground, as municipal solid waste is found to be hiding substantial energy potential. The ecofriendly waste-to-energy method is

catching up fast across the globe as an opportunity in necessity: the method also leads to safer waste disposal .

Waste is a by-product of human habitation, and its rate of accumulation is directly proportionate to that of population growth. That is why, the integrated waste management concept is emerging as a mature strategy today to cope with the evergrowing complexities of handling large volumes of solid waste.

The modern integrated waste management policy is a combination of waste prevention and avoidance, maximised recycling of used goods, waste reuse, and sorting and separating different types of waste collection at source. Such a concept automatically results in minimised need for landfilling, leaving only a small final amount of municipal solid waste for further treatment.

Integrated waste management centres separate the municipal solid waste into very specific remainder fractions, allowing optimal recycling and/or energy recovery of each specific waste stream. The organic fraction of the waste at the centres is sent to an aerobic or anaerobic process for recycling through composting and energy capture via digestion to biogas.

The non-organic component that cannot be recycled or used for composting or digestion is considered for producing liquid fuel (gasoline and diesel) meeting standard fuel specifications (Euro III).

Each kg of waste Polyethylene and Polypropylene has the potential to generate 700 ml of gasoline or 850ml of diesel plus LPG. Other components, such as inert steel, aluminium and ash residues, are recycled from the municipal solid waste or reused as sand or granulate for a multitude of construction purposes, as non-ferrous metals, like industrial salt, gypsum and many more.

In this way, these centres convert waste, first, into a resource and, next, into valuable electricity and heat energy. It is a total and sustainable solution to turn each waste fraction into a valuable resource.

Exploiting technological synergies

The strength of waste management lies in collaboration of technologies in one installation. The combination of pre-processing, mechanical and organic recycling, and powergenerating technologies offer a synergy, which can lead to more www.urbanupdate.in | May 2014

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COVER STORY

Case Study

A model that worked Even as Delhi’s Ghazipur dumpsite presents the stark reality of urban waste management today, opposite is the case at the GPRA complex in the same city, where decentralised waste management turns the task into a profit-making exercise

I

n our haste to get rid of our waste, we have created at least a 35-meter high garbage mountain at the Ghazipur dumpsite in Delhi, which spreads over at least a 100 acres (about 0.014 km). We have also contaminated our ground and sub-soil water through dumping besides releasing toxic gases and dust into the atmosphere from burning in incinerators.

Taking lessons from such experiences, an alternative model was devised at the General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA) complex at New Motibagh in the national capital itself. It is a 110-acre campus housing about 1,000 families of bureaucrats and their domestic helps. This residential complex located in South Central Delhi stands out among other upscale colonies in Lutyens’ Delhi, which are major water and energy guzzlers.

The GPRA complex, constructed and maintained by the National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC) Ltd, was developed for the Union Ministry of Urban Development between 2008 and 2012. The NBCC put in place decentralised waste water and municipal solid waste management systems in the area, and integrated a solar energy street lighting and solar water heating systems with the housing plan.

An Integrated System

This experiment of at the GPRA complex is unique because the efficient functioning of a well-planned waste and energy management system dem26 May 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

onstrates that clean environment is not a burden on the exchequer, and the ecosystem benefits from reduced burden on the water table, energy and resources.

Waste Water Management

At a glance ♦♦

♦♦

♦♦

GPRA is a 110-acre campus housing about 1,000 families of bureaucrats This energy saving South Delhi residential complex is in an upscale water and energy guzzlers area The decentralised integrated solid waste, waste water and energy project for about 1,000 households has achieved not only clean and green surroundings, but also financial savings

About 70 percent of the 8 lakh litres of water supplied to the residents, that is, 5.6 lakh litres of waste water, generated is treated in a decentralised treatment plant within the campus using the Moving Bed Bio-reactor (MBBR) technology. There is a net saving of Rs 5 lakh per annum on account of direct and indirect savings from a decentralised Waste Water Treatment plant (WWTP) in the campus whose running cost is Rs 55.55 lakh, as opposed to the centralised sewerage system costing Rs 60.62 lakh.

Solid Waste Management

Similarly, the Solid Waste Management project is run by M/s Green Planet Waste Management (P) Ltd, in

COVER STORY collaboration with the NBCC, which spent Rs 20 lakh for providing 4,000 sq ft of covered sheds. The operators invested Rs 50 lakh on machinery, garbage bins at common places, collection trolleys/ cycle rickshaws to make the unit self-sustainable.

The process

The total generation of waste from the households and commercial establishments is 1.5 MT per day, while the garden waste accounts for another 1 MT. Of the household waste, the wet compostable waste is about 1 MT per day, which is converted into compost through the Excel method using a composter, which does its size reduction as well as mixing of wet waste with the inoculums. This is followed by composting in trays kept on racks, humidified and turned daily for about 2-3 weeks, yielding about a fourth of its weight as compost, which is cured, sieved and packaged to be sold at Rs 5 per kg. Similarly, a pelletisation assembly for cutting, drying, compressing and pelletising garden waste generates about half its weight in pellets to be sold at Rs 8-9 per kg. The running cost for all activities is about Rs 3,02,800 per month.

The energy savings from the 300 solar street lights at the GPRA complex – covering internal roads, common areas, parking lots and bungalows – and solar water heaters there is about Rs 35 lakh per annum.

Thus, this decentralised integrated solid waste, waste water and energy project for about 1,000 households has achieved not only clean and green surroundings, but also financial savings to the tune of Rs 40-50 lakh per annum.

Amenities

The facilities offered in this town ship include round-the-clock security, captive power supply, rainwater harvesting, shopping area, bank, subsidised club, primary school, parks, jogging tracks and servant quarters, among others.

Energy Recovery To facilitate energy recovery, both catalytic and biological treatments can be incorporated. Specific waste components that cannot be recycled are used by the integrated waste management centres (IWMCs) as a fuel source. This residual fraction of the municipal solid waste especially all types of polyolefinic waste and non-reusable waste plastics are used to produce liquid fuel (gasoline and diesel) meeting standard fuel specifications (Euro III), whose fuel performance on engines is comparable to commercial fuel. This process is carried out using catalyst based systems tested and promoted by the CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum (CSIR-IIP), Dehradun. The biological process anaerobically digests the organic fraction of the municipal solid waste (MSW) and produces biogas as demonstrated by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) at Mumbai that can be used for heating, cooking or even street lighting as has been demonstrated by the Pune Municipal Corporation. ‘Green’ power, thus, generated replaces an equivalent amount of electricity, which would otherwise have been produced from fossil fuels. It makes optimal use of the waste converted to fuel oil or biogas, which would have otherwise been disposed of at some landfill. Each kg of waste Polyethylene and Polypropylene has the potential to generate 700 ml of gasoline or 850ml of diesel plus LPG. Thus, polyolefinic waste, i.e. 65 to 70% of total plastic wastes, which makes up 80% of the non-compostable and recyclable fraction of the MSW, can be used for generating fuel oil and LPG.

energy and material recovery, and maximum landfill diversion.

Through pre-processing of waste, the materials most suited for each specific process is selected and transferred. Thus, each process is allowed to achieve the highest performance, getting the maximum value out of each specific waste component, be it in the form of green energy or recycled materials.

Optimal recycling, energy capture

The principal objectives and benefits of waste recovery are to maximise recyclable materials, energy and landfill diversion rate. The aim at this stage is to separate the waste into two principal waste flows: wet (organic) and dry. The wet flow is taken to the organic treatment area and the dry fraction undergoes further sorting— manual, optical and magnetic— designed to recover the highest amount of recyclable materials.

Besides, since up to 80 percent of the incoming materials can be possibly recycled through an integrated waste management centre, it minimises damage to the environment by preventing both exploitation of scarce natural resources for further

production of such materials and emission of large quantities of greenhouse gases.

Let’s do it!

A comprehensive solution to the problem of waste management is still a long way to go. Little efforts from each one of us as the members of society can pave the way to achieve a healthy environment.

Steps should be taken to ensure that while door-to-door waste is collected, every household must ensure to segregate the essential waste and only dispose of the ones which cannot be modified again. Proper training of the sanitation workers and by providing them with essential waste segregation equipment to avoid health hazards can bring about significant changes in the sector. Maintenance and efficient running of the solid waste management systems rather than creation of huge assets can help us achieve the goal of cleaner, greener and healthier cities.

Direct your queries to smani@niua.org

www.urbanupdate.in | May 2014

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COVER STORY

WTE: Tapping the untapped An effective way to use waste as a resource while disposing it of is adoption of waste-to-energy technologies, but much needs to be done in India before it can harness the globallypractised no know-how in a meaningful way K. Srinivasa Rao, Head of Business Development, India & Subcontinent, Hitachi Zosen India

P

urification by fire is an ancient concept; the art of applying technology for combustion, pyrolysis, plasma and gasification for environmental engineering problems draws on this theory as well as on the results of sophisticated contemporary research. But, despite being a dominant technology, combustion systems still hold mystery and generate mental barriers to their full exploitation as tools to solve tough problems.

There are various waste-to-energy (WTE) technologies and experiences to cash in on. But, before we decide on technology options, let us give a glance to some recommendations from the policy makers.

Ensure ‘value for money’

We should not invest in technologies that have not been proven in operation and may not be bankable. We should take into account the complete waste 28 May 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

treatment process – including preprocessing of the waste, if necessary.

The supplier should be asked for the following information: ♦♦ The energy and mass balance ♦♦ Years of operational experience ♦♦ Experience with MSW ♦♦ Documented O&M Cost ♦♦ Performance guarantees offered ♦♦ Patent fee and description of the patented technology

Centralised / decentralised systems

WTE options are feasible only when the quantity of MSW is above 500 TPD. For smaller quantities less than 100 TPD, the conventional compost solution should be made mandatory with proper economic support and a policy to promote compost. The viability of a WTE plant largely depends on electricity sale price and appropriate tipping fee to support the developer’s internal rate of return (IRR) and return on equity (ROE) expectations. Therefore, for all larger

Riverside energy-from-waste plant Commissioned in 2011, Belvedere in the London borough of Bexley is Hitachi Zosen’s most recent project in the UK. With an average annual capacity of 585,000 tonnes, it will be an important strategic river-served waste management facility for London. It will help the capital manage its own waste, keeping over 100,000 HGVs off the capital’s congested roads each year and making a real contribution to London’s ability to meet its landfill diversion targets. At the same time it will generate electricity for more than 66,000 homes.

Newhaven energy recovery facility Commissioned in 2011, is an integrated waste management solution for East Sussex and Brighton & Hove, UK. With a view to divert residual municipal waste from landfill, the energy recovery facility at Newhaven provides a state-of-theart integrated waste management solution for East Sussex County Council and Brighton & Hove City Council in the South East of England. The waste to energy plant will be capable of treating up to 210,000 tonnes a year of domestic waste and in so doing will export enough electricity to power the equivalent of more than 25,000 homes.

COVER STORY cities, the WTE option is feasible, and for smaller cities, bio-methenation and composting may be the viable options.

The cluster approach should also be examined by consolidating collection of MSW from different smaller municipal limits to a centralised point, so that the quantity of MSW meets the quantitative requirements of a wasteto-energy plant.

Present schemes & incentives Baltimore WTE plant Commissioned in 1985, is located in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. The Wheelabrator Baltimore facility provides dependable, environmentally safe disposal of MSW for the city and county, while generating clean, renewable electricity. Designed, built, owned and operated by Wheelabrator, the plant serves 850,000 residents by processing up to 2,250 TPD of MSW. Wheelabrator Baltimore has a power generating capacity of 60,000KW. The plant also supplies steam to the downtown heating loop.

As per the guidelines of the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, the subsidy of Rs 2 crore per MW with a ceiling of Rs 10 crore per project needs to be re-examined once again for successful plants. Today, the waste-to-energy technologies on combustion route do not have much power generation potential in excess of 10 MW with 600 TPD of MSW. As there is no clear tariff policy, and high rate of interest for the debt, the only way of enhancing commercial viability of these projects would be extending capital subsidy on gross power basis without any cap. To a great extent, this will encourage an investor to take investment decisions.

Restructuring PPP model

Bridgeport WTE facility Commissioned in 1988, is located in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA. The Wheelabrator Bridgeport takes care of safe disposal of MSW of more than two dozen towns and cities in the Greater Bridgeport area while generating clean, renewable electricity for sale to the local utility. Designed, constructed and operated by Wheelabrator, Bridgeport serves 850,000 residents by processing up to 2,250 tonnes per day of MSW. Wheelabrator Bridgeport has an electric generating capacity of 67,000 kilowatts; the equivalent of supplying the electrical needs of 83,000 Connecticut homes.

The PPP model in waste management in our country is not a mature one. The present trend is to sign the concession agreement on dotted lines. There is lack of clarity on the part of the authorities doling out concessions.

The PPP model will be successful when there is a proven revenue model.

In the absence of well-defined revenue model, where there is no fixed tariff and no appropriate capital subsidy to mitigate high capital exposure, this model cannot succeed.

The concession agreement should always be treated as an “agreement between Parties under PPP spirit�, not a legal binding.

Global scenario

Most WTE plants in Europe, Japan and China (greater-than 50%) belong to the municipalities. They appoint an advisor to develop the plant and invite

technology companies to build it.

The plant is then financed directly by the municipality. The civic body typically establishes a public-owned company to operate the plant. The revenue from the sold electricity goes to the municipality, which also deals with the residues from the plant.

Other facilities belong to private investors with alternative business models (Design, Build, Operate and Transfer). The municipality does not procure a plant but enters into a PPP arrangement and signs a long-term waste management and energy procurement contracts. The approximate duration is 20 or 25 years.

The private partner is responsible for all aspects of the operation including sales of recycled metals from the bottom ash and disposal of residues.

Emission norms

The Schedule 4 of the Municipal Solid Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000 deals with the emission norms for the waste-to-energy projects. Although lenient, these regulations need to be revisited and improved. The WTE projects should undergo strict environmental scrutiny, in keeping with the guidelines of respective pollution control boards and the environment ministry.

Economic viability

The economic assessment of a WTE project should be done considering capital costs, debt equity ratio, return on equity, interest on loan capital, depreciation, interest on working capital, and operation and maintenance expenses. A reasonable IRR should be protected by policy makers keeping in mind the realistic costs involved in setting up WTE projects. Organisations like DST, TDB and TIFAC, etc., should come forward to extend soft loans to mitigate interest burden on debt.

Direct your queries to sreenivasarao.k@hz-india.com

www.urbanupdate.in | May 2014

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COVER STORY

The uncounted waste managers Despite playing a significant role in managing municipal solid waste and reducing the burden of local bodies, the community of waste-pickers remains one of the most jeered at and looked down upon lot of people living in tatters Dr (Prof) Sneha Palnitkar, Director, RCUES, AIILSG

30 May 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

COVER STORY

S

olid waste management (SWM) is a complex system of various strongly interrelated activities, like primary and secondary collection, transportation to processing plants and waste disposal sites, and recovery and recycling activities.

The sector as a whole consists of a formal and an informal sector. Formally, the municipal bodies are responsible for processing household, commercial and institutional waste. But the urban local bodies (ULBs), besides facing financial crunch, are also characterised by ineffective institutional arrangements and organisational problems. It is here that the informal sector steps in to reach the refuse the processing units, passing through several channels of the sector, including waste-pickers, waster dealers and the wholesalers selling solid waste as raw material to the recycling sector.

In many cities of the developing countries, the informal sector plays a significant role in managing municipal solid waste (MSW). The informal recovery of recyclables from the solid waste system reduces overall solid waste management costs for the municipalities. Millions are saved annually in the process. Apart from this, the informal sector waste management activities also help municipalities achieve recycling objectives and reduce use of precious landfill space.

A report of a Supreme Court-constituted Committee in 1999 had stated that in India there is a large urban informal sector of rag pickers, who earn their livelihood from waste-picking from the streets, community garbage collection bins and waste disposal sites. It is estimated that these wastepickers pick up about 5-10 percent of the total waste generated in large ur-

ban centres and pass it on to the informal waste recycling sector through various levels of intermediaries.

Uncared, unrecognised

Although the waste-pickers also add value to recyclable waste and help in conserving national resources, their contribution is yet to be duly recognised by the society or the municipal authorities. Hundreds and thousands of waste-pickers in cities start picking up waste in the early hours of the day and work throughout the day. But despite this useful service, waste-pickers are invariably driven away by the police and looked down upon with distaste and suspicion by the public at large as well as the local authorities.

A large number of waste purchasers buy recyclable material from wastepickers at very low costs and pass on the reusable material to recycling industry at a good profit margin. However, the waste-pickers have to be content with anything between Rs 25 and Rs 80 per day. They generally pick up paper, plastics, metal, glass, rags, etc.

Besides the waste-pickers, there are several small waste purchasers, who move from house to house for buying reusable materials.

People working in the informal recycling sector often suffer from harsh working conditions, are exposed to many health hazards, live in poor conditions and have low social status and low average earnings.

A very large network of urban poor operates in the informal waste collection sector, giving impetus to re-use and recycling of solid waste. But organising them has been a difficult task as the people involved in purchasing recyclable material work against the interests of the waste-pickers. Therefore, quite often, efforts made to or-

ganise waste-pickers are sabotaged by such vested interests. However, some initiatives in Ahmadabad, Rajkot, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Bangalore, etc., prove that waste-pickers can be organised to ensure them better quality of waste through doorstep collection, which would in turn fetch them better living and dignity of work as waste-collectors or eco-aids.

The role of the urban informal sector work-force in solid waste management and its cost-effectiveness can no longer be ignored. It is now recognised that this network of urban poor, wherever systematically organised, has yielded remarkable results. It is, therefore, pertinent to launch initiatives that can link mobilisation of citizens, including the waste-pickers, in environmental cleanliness and municipal clean city programmes to bring about changes that benefit all stakeholders in the city.

Institutionalising informal sector

Legitimising or institutionalising the role of informal waste recycling within the municipal solid waste management sector can go a long way to change the lives of waste-pickers significantly. It would require a change in the orientation of solid waste management, as well as an overall change in perception about the informal waste recycling activities.

Waste-pickers may be supported to: form cooperatives, access better equipment, negotiate direct access to waste sources, and generally improve their health, safety and livelihood.

Co-operatives are one of the institutions available for organising the rag-pickers at the grass roots. The committee report of 1999 suggested that the urban local bodies encourage NGOs or co-operatives of waste-pick-

A very large network of urban poor operates in the informal waste collection sector, giving impetus to re-use and recycling of solid waste. But organising them has been a difficult task as the people involved in purchasing recyclable material work against the interests of the waste-pickers

www.urbanupdate.in | May 2014

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COVER STORY ers to enter this field, organise them for doorstep collection of waste and provide them with an opportunity to improve their working conditions and income. The urban local bodies can give incentives to NGOs in their effort to organise the waste-pickers in primary collection of recyclable / or organic waste, and provide financial and logistic support to the extent possible.

With a view to initiating a proper waste management system, bio-degradable and non bio-degradable wastes should be segregated at source and arrangements should be made by the municipal corporation to ensure that the two components of waste are not allowed to get mixed up at subsequent stages of waste collection system.

Local bodies can do it

The municipal bodies can also mobilise NGOs to take up the work of organising street waste-pickers and convert them to door-step waste collectors. However, such a service should be provided or may be contracted out

32 May 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

Who are they?

Waste-pickers roam from garbage to pit site to collect materials like plastic bottle, recycle material, metals, glass material, etc., which they exchange with merge sum of money for their livelihood

An exploited lot Waste purchasers buy recyclable material from waste-pickers at very low costs and pass on to recycling industry at a good profit margin, restricting individual wastepicker’s income below Rs 100 per day

Harsh realities People working in the informal recycling sector often suffer from harsh working conditions, exposing themselves to many health hazards, living in poor conditions and having low social status

on `full cost recovery basis’. This will improve their working condition by stopping them from collecting soiled and contaminated garbage from refuse bins, streets or dumping sites.

The ULBs can prescribe that the segregated wastes should be collected on door-to-door basis only by licensed doorstep waste collectors or wastepickers, who should not be employed by the municipal corporation directly, but only by licensed locality-wise residents’ associations or NGOs after verification of their antecedents. By making necessary provisions in the waste management bylaws, these licensed doorstep waste collectors can also be authorised to collect monthly service charges for garbage collection at prescribed rates from each household.

This will help raise their social status and self-esteem, improve members’ incomes and quality of life in part by circumventing middlemen and improve working conditions, provide institutional frameworks for hiring of waste-pickers by the local

COVER STORY bodies/firms, prevent harassment and violence, and eliminate child labour in waste picking.

Initiatives to emulate

Some innovative initiatives by various government as well as non-governmental agencies in various cities demonstrate that innovations are slowly but surely occurring at various levels of urban environment and solid waste management exercise.

Parisar Vikas initiative

The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), in collaboration with two non-governmental organisations, has developed a comprehensive, socio-economic package for people involved in waste recycling activities.

For the first time in Mumbai city, 500 women waste-pickers in Deonar area are being adopted by two NGOs with the help of the Municipal Corporation.

The features of this programme are – ♦♦ Forming co-operative societies of waste-pickers to help them save their earnings; ♦♦ Setting up Balwadi Kendras (crèche) for their children to mainstream them; ♦♦ Conducting regular health checkup programmes; ♦♦ Marketing and Selling usable waste materials collected by them to recycling units; and ♦♦ Strengthening and engaging waste-pickers in vermiculture projects in the city.

The waste-pickers are given a Parisar Vikas identification card jointly by the Solid Waste Management Department of the Municipal Corporation, Stree Mukti Sanghatana and Suvidha. Waste-pickers are also trained in waste recycling practices and organisation of co-operatives, which would market collected waste materials directly to waste recycling units to fetch more money than if sold to regular middlemen dealers in the recycling market. The programme also aims to give legitimacy to the informal waste recycling work to improve their working conditions.

Kagad, Katch, Patra Kashtakari Panchayat

The Kagad, Katch, Patra Kashtakari Panchayat (KKPKP) is a registered association of waste-pickers working in the cities of Pune and Pimpri Chichwad of Maharashtra. The KKPKP was born in 1990 at the SNDT Women’s University’s National Adult Education Programme, which attempted to organise rag-pickers. With the help of a renowned social worker, Baba Adhav, the Panchayat was formed in 1993. At present, KKPKP is a strong union of 6,500 individuals, working to secure their livelihood, restore dignity, stand up for rights and set up an organised front for empowerment of the wastepicker community as a whole.

The KKPKP motivated residents to separate waste at source and hand it over to the rag-pickers, who have been provided with identity cards.

The waste thus collected has been put to diverse uses, such as vermiculture, composting and production of some consumer items. Various programmes and activities of the KKPKP are also helpful in savings, reducing expenditure on health, education of children and other financial needs. Apart from income generation activities for the rag-pickers, the KKPKP has also introduced social and health insurance schemes, savings linked credit schemes, gold loans, etc. They have also organised several campaigns for education of girls, elimination of child labour and other social issues concerning the rag pickers.

SWaCH

SWaCH (Solid Waste Collection and Handling or, officially, the SWaCH Seva Sahakari Sanstha Maryadit, Pune) is India’s first wholly-owned cooperative of self-employed rag-pickers / waste collectors and other urban poor. It is an autonomous enterprise that provides front-end waste management services to the citizens.

SWaCH is authorised by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to provide door-to-door waste collection (DTDC) and other allied waste management services. The scope of

SWaCH includes collection, resource recovery, trade and waste processing.

Through its members, SWaCH services over 4, 00,000 households across 76 zones in 15 municipal administrative wards of the PMC, and the number is growing. It is promoted by the waste-pickers’ union — Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat (KKPKP) — that organised over 9000 rag-pickers/waste-collectors to work with dignity, and created a sustainable de-centralised, waste management model in the country.

SWaCH members collect segregated (dry and wet) waste, right from citizens’ doorsteps and deposit it at the designated PMC collection points.

The wet waste is either processed in the housing complex or given to the PMC pick-up truck. The dry waste is further sorted into several categories and recycled. SWaCH enables wastepickers /waste collectors to upgrade their livelihoods, and trains them to carry out their work professionally.

Gitanjali - An Example in PPP

‘Gitanjali Industries’ in Mumbai is an exceptional example of a public private partnership that is owned by a lady entrepreneur. This privatelyowned industry works in coordination with the MCGM for dry waste recycling. It employs 350 waste-pickers, who collect various kinds of wastes, such as, mineral water bottles, scrap iron, polythene bags, and e-waste like television, computer screens, electronic parts, etc., from six centres in the city. This is transported to the factory site in six trucks and then sorted by 20 sorters. Each category of waste has its own utility value. The firm has its marketing outlets in cities like Bangalore, Belgaum, Gurgaon, Goa, Jammu, Bhubaneswar, Sambalpur, Ranchi and Mumbai. It has adopted 25 gutters in the surrounding area of its unit, which are cleaned by sweepers. They are also involved in maintaining community bins, from where the dry garbage is collected by the rag-pickers.

Direct your queries to

snehapalnitkar@gmail.com

www.urbanupdate.in | May 2014

33

VELO-CITY

Chennai

Living up to liveable tag Chennai has taken to the fast lane as better infrastructure and favourable policies have spurred industrial growth, job creation and healthcare facilities. Here’s a look at the trend and if this growth can translate into a sustainable, inclusive development Jency Samuel, Civil Engineer & Freelance Journalist

“I

s this really the Chennai that I used to live in? Flyovers, grade separators, glitzy malls… It is completely metamorphosed” was the instant reaction of Reeni Cherian, an environmentalist, visiting after a few years of work stint abroad.

Chennai has indeed gone through a sea change. Spatial expansion, steps towards integrated multi-mode transport and availability of worldclass products and healthcare facilities seem to validate the Liveability Index 2013 that declared Chennai one of the top three liveable cities in India.

What drives Chennai’s growth is its improved infrastructure, facilitating ease of transportation. Some of the infrastructural projects are not only utilitarian but also add an aura of aestheticism to the cityscape.

Spatial expansion

Spatially, Chennai has grown from an expanse of 176 sq.km to 426 sq.km by including some suburbs. The expansion was aimed at levelling 34 May 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

the disparity found between the city and the suburbs in basic services provisions, said the government some time back.

A moving transport

An obvious change is the relatively easy commutability. Smooth flow of traffic has been achieved by converting traffic-intense roads into single-entry points and by installing timed, automated signals.

An integrated, multi-mode transportation system has been initiated and work on elevated and underground metro rail systems is on.

New bus routes have been added for better connectivity with other public transport systems.

Local trains run at a five-to-ten minute frequency, always full to the capacity. Gauge conversion has facilitated better carrying capacity.

It is considered a cheap and efficient public transport system by a majority of the residents.

Buses are also always packed, in spite of additional routes and number of vehicles introduced regularly.

However, majority still relies on personal vehicles. A recent study suggests that less than 40 percent of Chennai residents use public transport. The trend would change for better once the network is enhanced through metro rail.

But roads are not just for the vehicles. In collaboration with Institute for Transportation Development and Policy (ITDP), other firms and government departments, Chennai City Connect, an umbrella organisation, is working on making roads pedestrian-friendly, completing 30 of them so far.

Full of energy

Chennai has relatively limited cuts.

This has been at the cost of the rest of state. Chennai consumes one-fifth of the statewide consumption.

With the government’s encouraging schemes and subsidies for renewable energy, many institutions, commercial establishments and residences have opted for solar energy, with the scope for wind and bio energy being less in the city. As per Tamil Nadu Energy

VELO-CITY Development Agency’s data, there is 2,401 sq.m of solar panels for cooking and air conditioning systems and photovoltaic cells of 400 kW capacity.

With the solar industry perked up and citizens showing keen interest in cleaner power that would help them tide over the power cuts, renewable energy consumption is set to increase.

Thriving industry

Investment in infrastructure and energy, combined with policy decisions, has led to substantial industrial growth. The city’s southern suburbs boast of IT parks and northwest the industrial hub. The automobile industry has found a good foothold, earning Chennai the epithet of ‘Detroit of India’.

Healthcare facilities

Government medical facilities do fairly well, though various physical parameters can be improved.

Charitable institutions offer healthcare and specialised treatment facilities such as renal, eye, diabetes and haemophilia treatment. Besides the corporate hospitals that cater to high-end patients and medical tourists, the government has opened one by converting the secretariat building constructed earlier.

Realty push

Though the realty sector faced a slump in 2011-12, the market has seen an upward swing since 2013. Renowned schools opening chapters in gated communities, professional colleges in suburbs, and improved hospitals and transport facilities have enhanced suburban growth, too. These factors have pushed up the real estate prices.

Unaffordable rental rate within the city is also a factor for suburban growth.

Water supply

To cater to the ever-increasing demand, the government resorts to bringing water from Andhra, Veeranam lake – about 250km from Chennai and desalination plants, in addition to the existing three reservoirs. Making rain water

harvesting mandatory has improved water table and stopped sea water ingress in coastal neighbourhoods.

Waste management

Waste management has been a persistent problem. Cleaning up Chennai in 100 days was one of the promises that Ms Jayalalitha had made on assuming power in 2011. The 5,000 tons of municipal waste generated everyday end up in two dumping grounds. Alternate sites and options by the Corporation are opposed by

Industrial hub The city’s southern suburbs boast of IT parks and northwest the industrial hub.

The automobile industry has also found a good foothold, thus earning Chennai the epithet of ‘Detroit of India’

Fuming Metropolis With increase in the number of vehicles on account of rise in people’s purchasing power, air pollution places Chennai at third place in exposure to traffic fumes in the Indian cities

local residents and environmentalists.

In Pammal neighbourhood, garbage is collected, segregated, composted, recycled and upcycled by trained women, which could be emulated.

Growth vs development

But is the development sustainable and inclusive? Sadly, development has come to mean economic prosperity, even if it is at the cost of environment.

The invisible offshoot is the disparity in development. Economic benefits have not reached the marginalised as cost of living has gone up. Suburban agricultural lands have become industries and human habitations. With agricultural labourers rendered jobless, influx into the city has increased, resulting in

increase of slums and scramble for basic amenities.

Theodore, a nature enthusiast, feels sad that the environment has borne the brunt of development through loss in tree cover and deterioration of water bodies.

Vehicular increase has a telling effect on pollution and health. Singleentry roads lead to increased fuel consumption and emission. Exposure to traffic fumes, is the third highest in Chennai, says a University of Berkeley study. Though particulate pollution is less than other cities, thanks to the sea breeze dispersing it, it is increasing.

What next?

Dayanidhi, an engineer, says strengthening arterial and feeder roads would sustain the present growth. “Metro will not serve its purpose without feeder roads and shuttle services,” he adds. City Connect has initiated a cycle-sharing scheme, whereby citizens can use bicycles for local commute after alighting from a public transport.

“Metro is good, but its use will depend on its schedule, maintenance, etc.,” says Surekha Kothari, Director of Kothari Industrial Corporation.

Raj Cherubal of City Connect says that Chennai should benchmark itself along the lines of Hong Kong and Singapore with respect to ‘cost of doing business’ surveys.

Surekha Kothari emphasises that financial policies should take small businesses into consideration.

Policies should be such that foreign investment aids local development and not chokes it.

A decentralised approach in waste management, green initiatives, especially in transport and manufacturing sectors would go a long way. And it is imperative that the governmen for making Chennai a world-class city, not only develops policies, but implements them, too.

Direct your queries to jencysamuel@gmail.com

www.urbanupdate.in | May 2014

35

COLUMN

Missing the Competitive Edge A recent research report of the Economist Intelligence Unit on the competitiveness of 120 cities worldwide highlights the problems ailing the Indian cities and the lacunae in the urban governance system A Ravindra, Chairman, Centre for Sustainable Development, Bengaluru

O

ur political leaders have time and again expressed their desire to develop world class cities in India. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh once said Mumbai would be transformed into Shanghai, and prior to that, one of the chief ministers of Karnataka had dreamt of converting Bengaluru into Singapore.

But, none of that seems materialising on the ground, as of today. However, it will indeed be instructive to know where our best cities stand compared to the advanced cities of the world.

36 May 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) recently released its research report on the competitiveness of cities, “Hot Spots 2025: Benchmarking the Future Competitiveness of Cities”.

The report benchmarks the competitiveness of 120 cities across the world at two distinct points of time - now and 2025. The study reveals that no Indian city finds a place in the top 50 cities of the world. The financial capital of the country, Mumbai, is ranked 51st followed by the national capital, New Delhi, at 56th and the IT capital, Bengaluru, at 94th.The other In-

dian cities figuring in the list further down are Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Kolkota, in the same order. Not surprisingly, New York emerges as the most competitive city in the world followed by London, Singapore, Hong Kong and Tokyo.

Criteria for competition

The EIU has identified the following eight parameters to determine competitiveness of cities: ♦♦ Economic strength ♦♦ Physical capital ♦♦ Financial maturity

COLUMN ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦ ♦♦

Institutional character Human capital Social and cultural character Environmental hazards Global appeal

Each city has been assessed on the basis of 32 indicators – 27 of those qualitative and five quantitative – grouped under these eight categories. Competitiveness is, therefore, based on several criteria.

Emerging truths

Let us look at some of the key findings of the research. North American and West European cities retain their competitive edge despite concerns over their ageing population and slow growth. Asian cities are becoming more competitive, dominating the economic strength category and reflecting the economic rise of their countries. Latin American cities are also improving while those in Africa are lagging behind. Interestingly, China’s rate of competitiveness seems to be declining as none of its cities figures in the top 25 most improved cities. Sao Paulo, Incheon and Mumbai will be the top movers between 2012 and 2025.

An interesting finding emerging out of the study is that cities of all sizes can be competitive. Thus, the largest city in the world, Tokyo, with a population of 37 million and the smallest, Zurich, with just 1.4 million inhabitants figure in the list. Some of the other smaller cities making it to the list are Stockholm with a population of 2 million, Budapest (2.5mn) and Dubai (1.4mn). None of the smaller Indian cities, however, finds a place.

tutional character and global appeal parameters, while Delhi’s poorly managed urbanisation is expected to take its toll in the future. The big Indian cities seem to derive their competitiveness primarily from their economic strength, which in turn arises from the demographic and economic growth of the country. This is especially so in the case of Mumbai and Delhi. Bengaluru may score higher in respect of human capital but lags behind in physical infrastructure Cities will play a crucial role in India’s economic future. Their contribution to the country’s national income has been rising steadily, reaching over 60 per cent. About 80 per cent of India’s tax revenue comes from the urban areas. In less than two decades, urban India will be home to 600 million people, and 68 cities will house more than a million inhabitants each.

Urbanisation has opened up enormous opportunities for investment and employment.

Gaping gaps

In a holistic way, a city’s competitiveness is defined as “the ability to attract capital, business, talent and visitors”.

In the light of the above findings, we need to focus on two crucial aspects to make Indian cities more competitive, viz., improving the quality of the physical capital of cities and that of city institutions. Physical capital includes

Asia on surge Asian cities are becoming more competitive, reflecting the economic rise of their countries. Incheon in South Korea and Mumbai in India are predicted to be the top movers between 2012 and 2025. Sao Paulo in Brazil has also been bracketed in the same category

Lagging small cities All the eight Indian cities rated as competitive in the list are the large cities of the country, whereas in Europe, North America and even the Middle East, a number of small and medium-size cities make the grade

physical infrastructure, public transportation and telecom infrastructure.

The quality of our city roads, drains, pedestrian facilities and public transport being woefully short of global standards (except in parts of New Delhi), it is all too visible. Water supply is far below the national standards in most of the cities while sanitation and waste management leave a lot to be desired. Upgrading city infra-

Indian concerns

It may be gratifying to note that Delhi tops the list in economic strength (along with Tianjin in China) and Mumbai figures in the list of top 25 most improved cities that will emerge by 2025. What is of concern, however, is that both these cities perform poorly in environment hazards category.

Further, Mumbai is losing out on physical capital, human capital, insti-

India’s tail tale: Mumbai ranks 51st in the list of competitive cities. Other Indian cities figuring in the list are Delhi, Bengaluru, Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Kolkota, in the same order.

www.urbanupdate.in | May 2014

37

COLUMN

Asian hero: Tokyo is ranked 5th in the overall Index and remains Asia’s most competitive city that is not a city state, with Singapore coming third and Hong Kong fourth

structure across the country would, however, require huge investments.

The Highpower Committee on Urban Infrastructure headed by Isher Judge Ahluwalia has estimated the requirement at nearly Rs 40 lakh crore over a period of 20 years. The JnNURM has of course given a thrust to urban infrastructure development, but we have still a long way to go.

Secondly, the quality of institutions matters a lot in the overall competitiveness of cities. The report points out, for “a city’s ability to tax, plan, legislate and embrace laws and its willingness to be held accountable by its citizens require strong institutions”. This is where the Indian cities fumble most. Our urban governance institutions are simply not equipped to deliver in terms of planning, law enforcement and accountability. The city governments lack autonomy and are heavily dependent on state and central governments for funding as well as in the exercise of authority.

Besides, decentralisation has not taken place as envisaged under the

74th constitutional amendment. The time has come to review the constitutional provisions with regard to urban local bodies and the planning framework. The state urban planning and municipal laws are outdated and need

North America, Europe future leaders? drastic revision to be in tune with modern developments.

So far as the urban environment is concerned, we are way behind the developed cities. The state of urban sanitation is poor, to say the least, and deplorable in a number of cities. Air pollution is on the rise and even a city

Leaders and laggards All regions have front-runners and foot-draggers in terms of competitive cities: African cities lag most on competitiveness, while major cities in Latin America improve theirs

like Delhi, which had shown remarkable improvement in this regard, is now getting branded as the most polluted city. The quality of water, especially ground water is increasingly becoming a matter of concern. Most of the city lakes and water bodies are polluted. Natural hazards like flooding during the monsoons keep occurring with regularity. Urban disaster management plans are hardly in place. An urban environmental management plan needs to be prepared for each city to address these issues.

Failed small cities?

It is important to take note of the fact that all the eight Indian cities rated as competitive in the list of 120 also happen to be the largest cities in the country. In Europe, North America

North American and European cities are among the world’s most competitive today and are likely to retain their advantage until 2025, despite concerns over ageing populations and infrastructure, indebtedness and slow growth

and even the Middle East, a number of small and medium-size cities make the grade. Vancouver in Canada, Vienna and Prague in Europe and Tel Aviv in the Middle East – all have populations less than 3 million. There are 53 million-plus cities in India, yet no city below six million is able to reach the level of being ‘competitive’.

Irrespective of the size of the city, the approach must be to look at the potential of competitiveness. The adoption of modern technology has given rise to the concept of smart cities and our policies must enable our cities to become smart and sustainable and move up the ladder of global competitiveness.

Direct your queries to

dra.ravindra@gmail.com

38 May 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

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CENTRE STAGE

Impurities flowing from taps Two United Nations agencies last year recognised India for its significant achievement in providing safe drinking water to its citizens, but a recent Delhi survey suggests the oposite. And, not much different is the reality about the quality of water in Chinese cities, as reported in local media. We reproduce some reports appearing in a crosssection of media on water quality in cities Nirmal Anshu Ranjan, Executive Editor, Urban Update

I

ndia boasts of remarkable economic strides in the recent past, mostly on the back of technical advancements, leading to a rapid-pace urbanisation.

But, insufficient infrastructure to sustain the growing population burden has resulted in an overall deterioration in the quality of civic amenities over the decades. Deteriorating water quality is one such major concern today.

A study of water samples from the national capital, proclaimed to be drinking water from ‘improved’ sources, showed that about 42 percent of urban households are actually getting contaminated water.

Claims, counter-claims

Last year, both Unicef and WHO had reported that India has done very impressive work in providing safe drinking water to its citizens, with over 90 percent now getting treated water. This caused much celebration as it also meant that India had achieved one of the Millennium Development Goals of halving the number of those without access to safe drinking water. But the study now raises a trail of questions over the water quality that is considered ‘safe’.

Published in the medical journal Lancet recently, the study was done by a team of researchers from Pratham Education Foundation, Delhi, Montreal University and Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies between May and October 2013.

The survey covered 685 households in a New Delhi slum, Kirti Nagar. Apart from interviews with people, the survey carried out tests on the water used by the households for drinking purposes using a UNICEFvalidated rapid test for coli-form bacteria.

40 May 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

This test determines whether the water carries the bacteria that originate in human faeces. Water was found contaminated in 42 percent (284 of 685) of the urban households.

“In view of India’s population size, there is every reason to question claims to have achieved the Indian and global MDG drinking water targets. Flawed data undermine effective research and appropriate action. The MDG target 7c indicator requires urgent reconsideration,” the researchers write in the Lancet.

Tough on children

The consequences of drinking contaminated water were evident in the survey. Mothers in the surveyed households were asked about recent cases of their children falling ill. In homes, 24 percent of children had suffered diarrhoea in the past 15 days, the mothers reported. Fever was reported in 34 percent children.

Bad water has the most harmful effects on small children because immunities are not yet developed. The survey found that 11 percent of the urban homes had experienced the death of an infant due to water-borne diseases.

Warning sign

While contaminated water is fallout of the increasing pressure on the natural resources, it is up to the citizens as well as the local authorities to work out ways to avert a disaster.

The groundwater table needs to be recharged, for which rainwater harvesting is the first step, and the authorities should ensure this in every building. They also need to monitor the quality of water and regulate indiscriminate digging of borewells.

CENTRE STAGE

57% of Bengaluru gets polluted water THAT Many areas of the city get contaminated water even for drinking is an old hat. But a 2013 survey of 92 areas in the city threw up some startling revelations: in 52 of these 92 areas, the total dissolved solids (TDS) level exceeds the permissible limit of 500 ppm, as also of chemicals, like fluoride and nitrate.

TDS, or the amount of macro minerals, salts or metals dissolved in a given volume of water, is directly related to the purity of water. The study also found the TDS level crossing the 1,000 mg/l mark in some areas like KR Puram, which health experts term a ‘dangerous sign’. The other areas with alarmingly high TDS levels located in the Greater Bangalore region are Mahadevapura, Banaswadi and Nagawara.

Traditional sources of water like municipal supply, lakes etc are failing to meet the rising demand. Indiscriminate sinking of borewells

has also contributed to the groundwater getting polluted alarmingly.

The study, where water samples collected from residents were tested, found that in many areas, the level of micro minerals like fluoride and nitrate was also touching the danger mark. While the acceptance limit for fluoride in drinking water is 1 mg/l, in outer lying areas of the city like Jalahalli, this chemical level was found closer to the permissible level.

Ditto with nitrate, for which the permissible limit in drinking water is 10 Mg/l. Nitrate content was found in abundance not only in the outskirts of the city, but also inner areas like Indiranagar.

Railway stations getting impure water

A large number of stations in the Northern Railway, including Lucknow station, are getting untreated drinking water. All drinking water samples at Lucknow station were found untreated and unsafe in an internal survey by the railways late last year.

No treatment facility exists at several stations. There are no chlorination plants in Lucknow, Moradabad and Ambala divisions. In Delhi and Ferozpur divisions, some stations have treatment plants but they are maintained by private contractors.

Rampant irregularities and malpractices in awarding the contracts for disinfection are believed to have wreaked havoc on the quality of drinking water.

Sample failure rate in the tests carried out by the railways’ medical department for monitoring quality of drinking water supply was extremely high in all five divisions of NR. All samples tested in Lucknow division showed presence of coli-form bacteria.

Insiders said days before the findings were submitted, divisions were told to go for manual chlorination using bleaching powder till chlorination plants were provided at all stations. Manual chlorination was not being done because bleaching powder had not been supplied to workshops for past several years. Therefore, divisions were directed to ensure timely supply of quality bleaching powder.

Panicked Chinese rush for bottled water Tap water in a Chinese city was recently found to contain excessive levels of the toxic chemical benzene, prompting residents to rush to buy bottled water. Tests showed that tap water in Lanzhou, the capital of northwestern Gansu province, had as much as 200 micrograms of benzene per litre, 20 times the national limit, according to media reports.

Benzene is an aromatic, colourless liquid and a basic raw material used in the petrochemical industry.

Human exposure to the chemical increases the risk of cancer and other illnesses.

Part of the city suspended its tapwater supply and residents hurried to supermarkets to snap up bottled water. Lanzhou’s environmental protection bureau said it is investigating the source of the pollution and that more sample tests are planned.

Supplier Veolia Water said the contamination may have come from chemical-plant emissions, rather than pollution in the Yellow River that runs through the city.

Many waterways in China have suffered heavy contamination of toxic waste from factories and farms, and pollution is blamed on more than three decades of rapid economic growth and lax enforcement of environmental protection laws.

In February 2012, a cargo ship spilled acid into the Yangtze, China’s longest river, tainting tap supplies and sparking a run on bottled water. The accident came a month after a more serious environmental scandal in the southwestern region of Guangxi, where factories-contaminated water supplies reaching millions of people with toxic cadmium and other waste.

Direct your queries to nirmal@urbanupdate.in

www.urbanupdate.in www.urbanupdate.in||April May 2014

41

PRODUCTS

Instant Road Repair Potholes are becoming a recurring issue in the cities and cheap road materials used only ruin it more during the rains. To ensure that this menace is eradicated from the root, and for a smooth uninterrupted flow of traffic, the International Roadway Research has brought out a pothole patching solution called Instant Road Repair.

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♦♦ It can be used to permanently patch the road when the surface temperatures are as low as -40° or as high as 168° F ♦♦ It is applied without the addition of a primer or bonding agent, special equipment or skilled personnel ♦♦ The solution is for asphalt or concrete pavement repairs regardless of the weather condition and does not shrink after it cures ♦♦ Instant Road Repair remains stable in unconfined repair area, while other repair products have to be within the pothole ♦♦ It is a rapid curing repair product with a shelf life of one year from the date of purchase

Portable toilet rentals

A portable toilet can be essential to use in those areas in the cities where the scope of development is still being worked upon and where the rural sectors have no basic access to such amenities. Glover’s septic portable toilet rentals can be used to stop the unhealthy open defecation.

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Using solar energy with LEDs instead of CFLs provides a very efficient solution. Solar-powered outdoor lighting products are ideal for lighting areas in remote locations where electricity is unavailable or erratic. Even in urban areas, these find great usage to reduce dependency on conventional power and contribute towards green energy. Reliable and long life makes this solution effective in fulfilling our present and future lighting requirements.

Philips solar LEDs for street lights are mono- and poly-crystalline silicon solar panels with high efficiency and long life.

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No line voltage, trenching, metering, or power outages Battery backup for cloudy or rainy days Qualify for savings from various state taxes and incentives Environment-friendly – 100% powered by the sun

42 May 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

PRODUCTS

Solar photovoltaics Photovoltaics are one of the pillars of renewable energy production. TÜV Rheinland provides a one-stop shop for highly efficient PV components.

The company serves its clients by testing the quality of their PV modules, PV components and PV systems. It also extends support for achieving optimum use of PV systems by suggesting the right components for specific purposes.

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♦♦ One of the best performing photovoltaics on account of company’s 30-year expertise in the field ♦♦ First-class after-sale service, in India and all over the world ♦♦ TÜV Rheinland photovoltaics are high on quality, safety and reliability ♦♦ TUVdotCOM quality seal proves the PV components have passed tests conducted in line with national and international standards

Solar water heaters use the sunlight to get energy to generate heat (not electricity), which can then be used to heat water for showering, space heating, industrial processes or even solar cooling. Solar energy is the primary source of green energy, and Kotak Sun water heaters ensure effective ways of cutting carbon footprint by reducing reliance on traditional fossil fuel usage.

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Compostable trash bags

Composting bags are essential for any municipal organisation for carrying out tons of wastes daily from the city premises to the landfill. These wastes, under right conditions, can be turned into compost, including food scraps, yard trimmings and non-recyclable paper, which can contribute significantly to preserving our planet and natural resources. ‘If You Care Certified Compostable Bags’ ensures such waste contribute to the environment.

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♦♦ Blended with certified fully compostable polymer and has no plasticisers ♦♦ Packaged from 100% recycled board processed chlorine-free ♦♦ No polyethylene is used and is 100% certified compostable ♦♦ Bags are certified compostable by the Biodegradable Products Institute Bags along with waste can be composted in municipal or commercial compost facilities www.urbanupdate.in | May 2014

43

EVENTS

Equitable urban order goes on the anvil The recently-concluded World Urban Forum in Colombia seeks to address twin issues of inequalities and invisible borders in the form of social, cultural and economic exclusions in the urban space Team Urban Update

T Dr Joan Clos, Executive Director, UN Habitat, addressing the gathering

44 April 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

he Seventh World Urban Forum (WUF7) has underscored the need to promote a new urban agenda that can overcome the challenge of lack of adequate legal framework and planning, which leads to relentless expansion of cities, intensive energy use, alarming and dangerous on climate change impacts, multiple forms of inequality and exclusions, and increased difficulties in providing decent work for all.

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) convened the seventh edition of the World Urban Forum in the city of MedellĂ­n in Colombia, between April 5 and 11, to examine the most pressing issues in the area of human

EVENTS settlements globally.

A congressional gathering, hosted in a different city every two years, the WUF has been an ideal platform to share respective experiences of the cities dotting the global landscape, brainstorm the issues involved from local as well as global perspectives and find feasible solutions to issues facing the urban space, including rapid urbanisation and its impact on cities, communities, economies, climate change and policies.

The WUF7 offered its platform to over 22,000 participants representing 160 countries, who got a six-day opportunity to discuss the conference’s theme “Urban Equity in Development - Cities for Life”. The event turned out to be a mirror to the cities, their services and vulnerability, among others.

An estimated two-thirds of the world’s urban population lives in cities, where income inequality has increased manifold since the 1980s.

Disparities exist in the urban space, with cities divided by invisible borders in the form of social, cultural and economic exclusions.

Slums, the face of urban poverty and inequality, continue to increase in most countries of the developing world, perpetuating the lack of access to basic services and political representation to the most vulnerable communities, they said.

“Gender inequality persists, preventing women from accessing secondary education, decent employment, political representation

and reproductive healthcare.

Similarly, inequalities among the youth manifest in discrimination in access to education, differentiated levels of employment and livelihood opportunities, lack of participation in decision making, and prejudice against sexual preferences,” said a participant.

Cities, therefore, are a critical component in addressing the overall inequality problem. Their design, governance and infrastructure have direct impact on the lives and opportunities of their inhabitants.

The participants of the Seventh World Urban Forum, in the Medellin Declaration, reaffirmed their commitment “to integrate urban equity into the development agenda, employing all means and resources available to ensure that cities are transformed into inclusive, safe, prosperous and harmonious spaces for all. As a matter of urgency, we must take action, collectively and individually, to bring the benefits of sustainable urban development to all.”

In addition to serving as a prime opportunity to discuss the state of our cities today, the seventh session of the WUF7 was also instrumental in providing preparation processes for the Post 2015 Development Agenda and review of the urban agenda in Habitat III in 2016.

The WUF7 also led a global effort advocating for sustainable and equitable urban development, and advancing its placement on the political and media agenda.

A lab of ideas ♦♦ New urban agenda: Gathering underscored the need to promote a new agenda to overcome the challenge of lack of adequate legal framework and planning ♦♦ In equity is sustainability: Investments suggested in the most marginalised communities within cities trapped behind invisible social and economic borders ♦♦ Eco-citizen World Map Project: The project talked of a shared vision of sustainable and equitable development – cities and citizens in balance with nature and culture ♦♦ Post-2015 Development Agenda: The event also provided preparation processes for the Post-2015 Development Agenda and review of the urban agenda in Habitat III in 2016

Events Calender Conference on Solar and Wind Power May 1, Jai Mahal Palace, Civil Lines, Jaipur Renewable Energy World India 2014 conference & expo May 5-7, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi LED Expo Mumbai 2014 May 8-10, Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon, Mumbai EcoBuild – India May 9-10, Nehru Centre, Worli, Mumbai Green Manufacturing Excellence Awards and Summit 2014 May 9, The Leela, Andheri-Kurla Road, Mumbai 11th Annual Conference on Energy Efficiency and Managing Cost of Energy May 13-14, The Imperial, Janpath Lane, New Delhi 10th Green Cementech 2014 May 15-16, HICC Novotel Complex, Near Hitec City, Hyderabad Smart Outsourcing Expo May 15-17, Hotel Lalit Ashok, Kumara Krupa High Grounds, Bengaluru Conference on Geospatial Technologies for Infrastructure May 19-20, The Grand, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi 5th Annual Conference on Tunnel construction in India May 21-22, The Imperial, New Delhi Conference on Green Interiors May 29-30, ITC Grand Parel, Mumbai www.urbanupdate.in | May 2014

45

URBAN AGENDA

People-centric innovation in cities Apresh Chandra Mishra Managing Editor apresh@urbanupdate.in

B

ig data, social network, sensors... and many more! New technologies and concepts are adding to innovating cities to foster connectivity between diverse sectors like ICT, energy and mobility, for creation of an ecosystem that integrates everyone and everything. Barcelona has set an example of an ecosystem, which is broken down into three layers: people, information and city structure.

The concept

Countries around the world are innovating and adopting technologies that boost connectivity in all its manifestations – man to man, man to machines and machines to machines – with the sole aim of creating more liveable urban spaces 46 May 2014 | www.urbanupdate.in

As Rick Robinson, Chief Architect, IBM-UK writes, “In all of my contacts across the world, in technology, government and urban design, I don’t know anyone who thinks it would be ‘Smart’ for cities to be run by technology; who believes that digital data can provide ‘perfect knowledge’ about city systems; or who thinks that cities built and run entirely by deterministic plans driven from the top down would be healthy, vibrant places to live.”

A smart city should create an environment in which technology, infrastructure, policies and culture encourage and support ‘bottom-up’ and localised innovations that make people, communities and businesses more successful. The challenge is that this also requires a significant degree of top-down leadership and change. So, the argument shouldn’t be

about whether top-down or bottom-up approaches are the right way to create better cities, but instead how to make both of them work effectively together.

A consumer play

Infrastructure is becoming a consumer play. Consumers are interacting with road, rail, phone, energy and water systems in new ways, by ‘consuming’ the services provided — through regulating their consumption pattern assisted by data from smart energy or water meters, or using a cell phone to report a leaking pipe, or experiencing time-of-use charging for roads and parking, or installing their own personal solar power stations on their roof-top.

The digital data do much more realistic and enthralling things.

They allow us to uncover the hidden opportunity to interact locally with people and businesses in our community and reveal patterns in the complexity of social, economic, physical and environmental systems that help us look forward to the likely outcomes, and take proactive measures and do more with less.

A smart city creates an environment, in which technology, infrastructure, policies and culture make people safe, and provide the resources and opportunities they need – including better access to technology and information – to create safer and more rewarding lives.