Prutha Goa

Goa has received much well deserved criticism on account of the abounding garbage that spills over from every neighbourhood. There are remedies and schemes that have been thought out for the appropriate disposal of rubbish that comes under wet waste, that is biodegradable matter, and most dry waste that can be recycled or upcycled. There remains, however, the problem of waste that is delineated as toxic and detrimental to the environment. This includes biomedical waste and e-waste (electrical and electronic waste). In the case of e-waste, the Government of India has issued, through the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Government of India, the E-waste Management Rules, 2016, which became effective from the 1 st of October 2016. To understand the magnitude of the e-waste problem, we refer to the ASSOCHAM (Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India)-Frost and Sullivan study (2016) that estimates that India’s e-waste production will be 30 lakh metric tonnes

An awareness programme (part of a series of programmes) on the hazards of electronic waste was held at EDC House, Panjim, by the NGO Communicare Trust in collaboration with NASSCOM (National Association of Software and Services Companies) Foundation, CEAMA (Consumer Electronics and Appliances Manufacturers Association) and MAIT (Manufactures Association of Information Technology). This was part of the Digital India Initiative that has begun pilot projects in Bhubaneshwar, Puducherry, Guwahati, Imphal, Indore, Kolkata, Moradabad, Ranchi, Patna and Panjim, to combat the issue of growing electronic waste in India. The e-waste project will be gradually extended to other parts of India to cover all major areas. The objective is to reach out to schools, colleges, producers, consumers, bulk consumers, scrap dealers (kabadiwalas), dealers, etc, using the cooperation of local NGOs to educate them about the rules with regard to e-waste (2016), the problems related to it, and the proper manner of

Speaking at the event Shape Connect Goa (held at the Kokum Design Centre, Porvorim) on how we need to be conscious consumers to deal with the escalating garbage problem, Clinton Vaz, proprietor of Vrecycle in South Goa, says, ‘The average Indian produces 200 grams of waste per day… that is in rural India. We do not live in rural India. The average Goan would generate about 800 grams. The average Western person in America or Europe will produce 3 kilos to a kilo and a half depending on where he lives and what he produces.’ Most of the waste that is generated is the result of our conscious choices. Although the Western garbage scene may seem far more daunting to take on, we Indians are catching up quickly to the same amount of waste creation. A glance within a shop reveals myriad products with fancy packaging and we, the consumers, have been psychologically conditioned to believe that it is safer and more hygienic to buy these attractively packaged products. Clinton says definitively,

Monika Gulati is a communication designer, educator and founder member of SkyBLUE Design, who in the last few years has been actively involved in solving waste management issues and spreading awareness wherever she can. It all began with a small composter that her youngest son won in a competition five years ago. At first there was uncertainty as to what should be done with it but after a few months Monika says, ‘We started using it and miraculously all our kitchen waste and other green waste was turning into this beautiful compost.’ This led to segregation of waste and soon the amount of waste going out of the house was reduced to a maximum of 200 grams of waste in 3 or 4 days. ‘There is very little waste that goes out of our home that cannot be processed, recycled or reused,’ says Monika. To most of us, the ultimate fate of the waste that leaves our homes matters little. We are content with the idea that the waste has left our homes. The repercussions of our actions and ignorance a