GUIDELINES- FOR SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN NEW DELHI, OLD DELHI AND HRNIZAMUDDIN RAILWAY STATIONS

Abstract

Indian Railways, one of the most preferred means of transport for the commons, is also one of the largest moving sources of solid waste, through its passenger terminals and filed operations. Though acclaimed internationally for its efficient management' and operation, environment management — clean water, better sanitation and hygienic surroundings has been sadly ignored to an extent by the railways. Though its 9000 trains carrying 1.4 crore passengers per day, Railway produces approximately, 8960 T per day of solid waste in its terminal buildings all over India. On one hand, Railway is receiving a highly recyclable as well as easily segregated waste, which due to lack of awareness, end up in dumping sites without any treatment. One of the major challenges before Railways is to handle the waste generated by its passengers as welt- as the stable population in, rail terminals. Initiatives have been undertaken to improve the cleanliness and sanitation off stations and trains, but many of these faced severe criticism for the poor management and approach. In the year 2006-07, the performance audit report on Railways by Comptroller and Auditor General of India came out with major deficiencies regarding Cleanliness and Sanitation. The report emphasized need for a Waste Management Policy by the Indian Railways. The most important suggestion of the report comprise evolving a performance standard for all the cleanliness associated activity and its supervising over all the zonal railways, a appropriate assessment and stipulation of infrastructure, accountable and accountable scheme, and a policy of waste management by the railways. In India, Solid Waste Management has been observed as a duty of the local bodies. The accountability of railway., ends once it collects the waste and hand it over to municipalities or dumps it in municipal landfills. Thus the highly recyclable, waste consisting of paper, plastics, aluminum foils and other recyclable matter gets mixed with the municipal mixed solid waste and end up in dumping sites. Unless railway recognize the potential of its waste as well as its responsibility to reduce quantity of waste reaching dumping sites, its commitment for clean and hygienic premises cannot be fulfilled. The study methodology follows four stages. First stage is to assess the waste generation in Rail Terminals through the selected parameters of average number of trains per day, number of ..Thanish Yaday. M,10511010, MURP, IIT Roorkee xiv passengers, stable population in a station. In the second stage, the characteristics and composition of waste is analyzed through. primary surveys and analyzed management. In the third stage various participants in this process and studied in terms of roles and responsibilities, organizational setup etc. The. last and fourth stage is to formulate a framework of guidelines for Solid waste Management in Railway Stations. Four stations were selected for the case study; out of which three stations, New Delhi, Old Delhi & H.Nizamuddin of Northern Railways. The detailed study indicates, plastics constitute the major composition in a waste stream. Out of the waste reaching municipal collection point, plastic constitutes about 41 %, 37 % & 39 % and paper come the next about 24 %, 30% & 27 % of the total waste in New Delhi, Old Delhi & H.Nizamuddin Railway Stations respectively. Gratitude to the mechanization and privatization of cleaning jobs, the collection efficiency is improved. New Delhi & H.Nizamuddin station are the best examples, where segregation of plastic'waste is happening with the help of Chintan groups. In Old Delhi station, waste sorting is happening in an informal way.. through the work of rag pickers and beggars operating in station premises. In many times it leads to clashes with the railway police, materials like plastic water bottles reaching the hands of illegal groups who refills the water and sell it back in stations and Trains. Treatment and disposal has never been considered as responsibility of Railways. In case of organizational setup, the major problem is the involvement of multiple departments. The multiple departments are Commercial, Medical, Electrical, Engineering and Mechanical departments involved in the process. The final part of the report deals with a proposed framework of guidelines for Solid waste .!* 'management in Railway stations. The guidelines are aimed at providing a sustainable management of waste generated from Railway Stations. The objectives include reducing waste at source; replacing the non biodegradable materials with financially and technologically viable alternatives, improving the collection efficiency, proper treatment and disposal of waste, Institutional Strengthens and Private Partnerships. Railway should take initiatives to reduce the waste generation from offices, trains like Rajdhani and Shatabdi and other areas where there is effective control. Collection efficiency should be increased in trains, where at present there is no system in existence for sleeper/ general coaches. Thanish Yaday. M,10511010, MURP, IIT Roorkee xv A/C coaches also have just two dustbins per coach, which is often in overflowing condition. Segregation of waste should be .improved through strengthening the existing informal system as well as modifying IRCTC contracts. Material Recovery system and recycling forms a major step in an waste management, as Rail waste is rich with recyclable component. Various components like PET bottle, aluminum foils etc can be recovered, compressed to reduce the volume and send for recycling. The three R's of Reprocessing, Reforming°and Resale are applicable........