Segregating waste at source, dubbed as the panacea for garbage menace, is taken seriously by this apartment complex at Koramangala in the City.
Tungabhadra Apartments, in National Games Village, that houses 220 families, has earned a revenue of Rs one lakh in the past eight months by segregating waste at source.
By generating Rs 5,000 for 4,500 kg of waste every month, the residents have not only reduced garbage disposal by 90 per cent but have also received waiver of Rs 42 per house in the apartment from Karnataka Housing Board.
Meera Rajesh, a resident has initiated zero waste management and a resident, said: “Diapers and sanitary pads are disposed of as waste, while sachets that contain savouries like chips and mixtures, which are made of plastic and aluminium are sent to landfills. Kitchen waste, paper and plastic are handled by us.”
In a bid to handle waste effectively, every house in the apartment is given two bins for organic and inorganic waste. This will help sort dry and wet waste at the source. “Most of the residents segregate waste at source. Whereas a few dump all waste together making the task clumsy. Both the work and pay are good,” said Mariamma, who works at the waste segregation centre in the apartment.
In addition to giving jobs to women, Meera said nearly 80 to 90 percent of garbage from their apartment is recycled.
Zero waste management
Also, the initiative has encouraged residents of neighbouring apartments to take up zero waste management.
Labelling the Palike’s decision to transport City’s waste to newer landfills as ‘throwing one’s garbage into our neighbour’s backyard,’ Meera added that finding newer places for dumping garbage generated in the City was not the solution to the current crisis.
The Palike’s move to look for landfills in Mandur, Nelamangala and Chintamani has been severely criticised by a section of citizens, who have been handling garbage efficiently in the past without burdening the BBMP workers.
On handling waste, Meenakshi Bharath, a member of the Solid Waste Management Round Table, said: “A combination of an active urban local body and enlightened citizenry can ably handle 5,000 tonnes of waste generated in the City every day.”