Delhi's Bhalswa landfill is the size of four international sports stadiums and is already 15-storeys high. All three city landfills, including Bhalswa, were exhausted seven years ago. The city has nowhere else to dump its waste (Photos by Vikas Choudhary)
Delhi generates close to 4,000 truckloads of waste every day. As soon as a truck unloads garbage, ragpickers jump into the heap and start segregating
Child ragpickers often catch infections as they rummage through the garbage with bare hands.
Experts suggest that waste management rules must integrate ragpickers and waste dealers by providing them with a legal identity, dedicated space to segregate waste and protective gear like boots and gloves
Experts also say the government must evolve a strategy to deal with environmental degradation caused by existing landfills. These sites have been polluting underground water for decades and are highly inflammable, besides directly affecting the health of residents living in close proximity
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Dear All,
Considering the health threat out of waste handling, it might perhaps be considered to propose the following measures, for the well being of those Waste Collectors / handlers.
(a) To make it mandatory to ensure all necessary health safety facilities like, Gloves, Masks, Aprons, Boots etc. to the Waste Collectors.
(b) Quarterly Health Check-up Programme in collaboration with National Health Mission (NHM).
(c) Issue of Health Card to facilitate free check-up of the family of Waste Hanlers in State run Hospitals
(d) The Option of Health Insurance for Waste Collectors should also be considered. For this purpose, sponsorship in the form of CRS activities ( Health Sector Vendors ) might be perhaps mandatory.
(e) Strict Monitoring of different Dry Waste Dumps under private operation to avoid child labour, unhealthy working environment and also to prevent unauthorized disposal of their left over after sorting & recycling.
Thanking All.
Regards.
Nripendra Kumar Sarma
Guwahati, Assam, India
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