Environment ministry has not recognised the role of ragpickers in recycling and reducing solid municipal waste formally by an Act or legislation.
NEW DELHI: Enactment of a legislation to ensure healthy working condition for ragpickers, making waste separation mandatory and levying fines on households not complying with separation norms are some of the suggestions by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) for better waste management.
"Environment ministry has not recognised the role of ragpickers in recycling and reducing solid municipal waste formally by an Act or legislation. Thus any kind of legal protection is not envisaged for them.
In addition, the ministry has not assessed the economic value of the ragpickers in recycling and reducing waste. Further the health risks they are exposed to when sorting out garbage has not been studied out," CAG has noted in a recent report titled "Management of Waste in India".
Following an audit performance of 24 states, the CAG found that only 17 states including Delhi, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Punjab recognised the role of ragpickers in recycling and reducing waste.
There are millions of ragpickers making their livelihood through collecting scraps and trash. Because of absence of any law to regulate the sector, the ragpickers live in very unhygienic condition, it said.
Seeking implementation of the recommendations of United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, the CAG quoting it said, "despite the significant role of the informal sector in solid waste management, there are few attempts to capitalise on this potential."
"Since a large number of informal sectors in solid waste management work in an unorganised manner, their work is not effective and sustainable," the CAG said.
The CAG has also favoured greater emphasis on segregation of waste at household level.
"State governments could make waste segregation mandatory and the municipalities could be authorised to levy fines if segregated waste is not made available to them for collection," CAG has said.
Referring to heaps of waste lying at public places causing health and environment hazards, the CAG further said that it should be processed by the municipalities by making it mandatory.
"Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) could help each municipality in identifying the waste processing technology best suited to the needs of the municipality. The ministry should give monetary help to the states to set up waste processing units," it said.
The government body has, besides seeking periodic monitoring of dumping grounds to check water contamination, also asked the states to close those located in residential areas and near water bodies.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}