It is most ironical that we Indians complain of filthy, over-filled garbage bins in our neighbourhoods without realising that to a large extent, we citizens are responsible for it in the first place.

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Most households — irrespective of the class of society they belong to — are negligent when it comes to their responsibility of segregating dry and wet garbage generated in their homes.

As per the system laid down by the municipal corporations, people are supposed to segregate waste before giving it out to the waste collector. Wet or kitchen waste is to be disposed in vermi-compost pits within housing societies, while the dry waste is to be picked up by the waste-pickers for recycling.

Such a system — approved by the Supreme Court — has multiple benefits. Firstly, there is an overall reduction in the astronomical quantity of garbage generated on a daily basis as the kitchen waste is put to productive use in the vermi-pits. Secondly, the segregated garbage makes the task of collection far easier, more dignified and remunerative for the waste-pickers. Thirdly, the amount of garbage dumped in the land-fills around the city also reduces sharply.

The frequent protests by the villagers at the Urali-Devachi village, where Pune’s garbage is dumped, is because Punekars don’t segregate their garbage. At Urali, it is either ignited or allowed to rot and stink in open landfills, causing serious health and social problems for the villagers.

Some housing societies in Pune are efficiently segregating their garbage and thereby respecting the system laid down for its disposal. It is high time that others followed their example in large numbers and worked for the cause of a clean Pune.