Almost exactly a year back, in this same column, I had written :

Over the last 20 years the PMC has turned the lives of people in the nearby Urali Devachi village into a toxic hell by dumping over a 100 truckloads of Pune’s garbage everyday in the village.

This happens simply because this city does not segregate its wet and dry garbage. Yes, the ideal solution for mass-scale garbage disposal is actually as simple as this - segregate the garbage and dispose it off separately.

But for this to happen, there are two critical factors - the first one is awareness of the benefits of segregating, and the second - strict implementation by the PMC.

Of course, awareness by itself is no great motivator … there has to be some tangible benefit - ideally in cash, or at least in the form of some redeemable benefit which translates into cash, like municipal tax reliefs for those housing societies which segregate garbage. Implementation can be achieved by imposing fines on societies which default, or do not comply.

Or, even better, those societies which have the space can be encouraged to manufacture vermi-compost which the PMC can buy for its gardens, or team up with NGOs and sell off at a profit. Segregation means profits for those generating the garbage and also those collecting it.

Now, after an entire year, nothing seems to have changed. We will have to follow the three R’s :

Reduce the generation of waste to cut transportation costs.

Re-use cloth bags and stop using plastic bags.

Recycle wet garbage for vermi-composting, and give dry garbage to rag-pickers.

Write back to us at Sakal Times (Editorial), 27 Narveer Tanaji Wadi, Shivajinagar, Pune 411 005, or email us at  ourvoice@sakaaltimes.com and let us know what you think