By Bharati Kumari

The endangered, bar-headed geese ended it’s life in the Pong Dam, over the past couple days.

On December 30, 2020, according to Indo-Asian News Service (IANS) over 400 migratory birds, in the Shimla wetlands. It is one of the largest man-made wetlands in northern India, Himachal Pradesh.

Tentative findings of their postmortem have excluded toxicity as the cause of their death, they said.

On December 28, an official report quoting the Deputy Chief Conservator (Wildlife) in Hamirpur said that the field staff reported the unexpected death of four bar-headed geese and one common teal in Fatehpur area.

In the wildlife range of Dhameta and Guglara areas of the Nagrota range, the field staff were instructed to implement a search of the absolute area of the sanctuary and 421 bar-headed geese were found dead the next day.

Forest Minister Rakesh Pathania detecting the urgency of the circumstance, said that the Wildlife wing has commenced analysis into the deaths of the migratory birds.

After receiving the reports of the samples sent to different institutions, strict action will be taken against those found guilty, he added.

Pathania guided the senior officials to go to the site and look into the numerous faces of the deaths.

The Deputy Chief Conservator (Wildlife) said the viscera samples of the geese were taken to a veterinary laboratory for testing. The samples have been prepared at the laboratory and sent for further examination.

A team of veterinarians visited the Guglara area for assessment of the ground realities and will send samples to the Indian Veterinary Research Institute in Bareilly, the Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Jalandhar and the Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun for further examination.

Every winter, the Pong wetlands are home to over 100,000 birds of nearly 114 species. Among them the bar-headed geese, the northern pintail, the Eurasian coot, the common teal, the common pochard, the northern shoveler, the great cormorant, the Eurasian wigeon and the ruddy shelduck are notable.

According to the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), the Pong wetlands are the one migratory site in the globe to hold such a large get-together of bar-headed geese.

Most of the wetlands in India have been regularly getting bar-headed geese every winter. But Pong is the only habitat that holds the major stream of bar-headed geese during every cold wave, a BNHS (Bombay Natural History Society) ornithologist told IANS (Indo-Asian News Service).

One might be able to overlook the unfairness that, humans are the main cause of extinction of these species. It is important to remember to take care of the animals that exist today, and their environment.

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By Bharati Kumari

Car passengers of Punjab have been facing problems due to reduced visibility. The fog has forced to drive the vehicle at the speed of 20-25 km per hour. As per the weather report, Cold Wave conditions are likely at isolated pockets over Uttar Pradesh. Very Dense fog is on the cards at isolated places of Punjab. Dense fog in the morning hours is likely at isolated pockets over Assam, Meghalaya and Manipur.

According to the Indian Metrological Department, “Dense to very dense fog is likely over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh & Delhi in morning hours on 28th to 30th December and Dense fog also likely over Uttar Pradesh in morning hours on 29th & 30th December 2020.”

Fogs have the capability to render an auxiliary source of fresh water in dry regions and can be harvested through the use of simple and low-cost collection systems. Captured water can be used for agricultural irrigation and domestic purposes. Research suggests that fog collectors work best in locations with frequent fog periods, such as coastal areas where water can be harvested as the fog moves inland driven by the wind. Fog harvesting systems are best installed in open locations with a fairly high elevation that is exposed to wind flow.

Through a technique used to capture water from wind-driven fog, fog harvesting provides an alternative source of fresh water.

Fog harvesting systems are predominantly installed in areas where the presence of fog is naturally high, typically coastal and mountainous regions.

Fog harvesting technology consists of a single or double-layer mesh net supported by two posts rising from the ground.  A mesh net is, stabilized between two posts that are spread out at an angle perpendicular to the prevailing wind carrying the fog. As the wind passes through the mesh, drops of freshwater form and drip into an underlying gutter, from which pipes lead the water into a storage tank. The material used for the mesh is usually nylon, polyethene or polypropylene netting.

The collectors are positioned on ridgelines perpendicular to prevailing wind and capture and collect water when fog sweeps through. The number and size of meshes chosen will depend on the local topography, demand for water, and availability of financial resources and materials.

The collector and conveyance system functions due to gravity. Water droplets that collect on the mesh run downwards and drip into a gutter at the bottom of the net from where they are channelled via pipes to a storage tank or cistern. According to fog quest Typical water production rates from a fog collector range from 200 to 1,000 litres per day, with variability occurring on a daily and seasonal basis. The efficiency of collection improves with larger fog droplets, higher wind speeds, and narrower collection fibres/mesh width.

For agricultural purposes, water is collected in a regulating tank, transferred to a reservoir and then finally into an irrigation system that farmers can use to water their crops.

Operation and maintenance are relatively simple processes once the system has been properly installed. Nevertheless, an important factor in the sustainability of this technology is the establishment of a routine quality control programme which should include, Inspection of mesh nets and cable tensions to prevent loss in water harvesting efficiency and avoid structural damage. Maintenance of nets drains and pipelines to include removal of dust, debris and algae. Maintenance of the storage tank or cistern to prevent the accumulation of fungi and bacteria. Where spare parts are not available locally, it is recommended that a stock of mesh and other components be kept in reserve as local supply might be restricted, especially in remote mountainous regions.

On October 9, 2018, The Indian Institute of Technology Mandi Researchers has developed a nature-inspired material that can harvest water from fog. The Researchers have designed water harvesting surfaces based on the surface structure of the leaves of an ornamental plant called the Dragon’s lily head (Gladiolus dale ii).

Fog harvesting provides a way of capturing vital water supplies to support farming. Furthermore, when used for irrigation to increase forested areas or vegetation coverage, water supplies from fog harvesting can help to balance out the desertification process. If the higher hills in the area are planted with trees, they too will collect fog water and contribute to the aquifers. The forests can then sustain themselves and contribute water to the ecosystem helping to build pliability against drier conditions. As the occurrence of fogs is uncertain, fog harvesting technologies depend on a water source that is not always reliable.

Fog water collection has emanated as a futuristic technology for mountainous communities without access to traditional sources of water. Still, largely in a state of development, there is an opportunity for research and development into fog harvesting technology and its potential to support agricultural production.  This technology also provides a vacancy to restore natural vegetation and support agricultural practices through the sourcing of clear water for crops and livestock.

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By Bharati Kumari

In a recent tweet from Milind Usha Soman, he stated, ” It is not microorganisms, but microplastics that will end the human race”. 

Microplastics are small plastic particles that pollute our seas and oceans. Their name is given by their small size, as their diameter measures between 330 micrometres and 5 millimetres. The presence of microplastics in oceans is caused by the industrial production of non-recyclable plastic. 

Environmental contamination by microplastics is now considered a budding risk to biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Agricultural land is recognized as a major sink of microplastics, but the impacts of microplastics above and below ground on the soil ecosystem remains largely unexplored. 

The study, published this month in the journal Environment International, In Italy, four healthy women who had normal pregnancies and births, were found with microplastics in their placentas. Microplastics were detected on both the foetal and maternal sides of the placenta and in the membrane within which the foetus develops. 

Preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction may end the pregnancy if microplastics are found in a placenta. The placenta plays a major role in the development of the fetus, supplying oxygen and nutrition, as well as removing waste products.

Microplastics in the drinking water and the respiring air can also hit humans directly. Humans often inhale microfibers as they fall from the sky. Small airborne particles are known to a cottage deep in the lungs where they can cause various diseases, including cancer. According to various studies, factory workers who handle nylon and polyester have shown evidence of lung irritation and reduced capacity (although not cancer), but they are exposed to much higher levels than the average person. 

Ingested microplastic particles can physically damage organs and leach hazardous chemicals—from the hormone-disrupting bisphenol A (BPA) to pesticides—that can compromise immune function and stymie growth and reproduction. Both microplastics and these chemicals may accumulate up the food chain, potentially impacting whole ecosystems, including the health of soils in which the crops are usually cultivated.

The sole existence of microplastics in fish, earthworms and other species is alarming, but the real harm is done if microplastics loiter—especially if they move out of the gut and into the bloodstream and other organs. Microplastics may threaten people more directly, if particles are small enough, they might migrate through the body and potentially accumulate in places like the bloodstream.

With many pollutants, there is a borderline across which microplastics become toxic to humans or other species. By just knowing and trying to understand what that borderline is one can easily prevent the impact of microplastics. 

The analysis, prevention, and removal of microplastics pollution can be brought into action only when people start implementing possible measures and initiatives and control the use of plastics in the daily schedule. 

Currently, in India, no manufacturer or vendor use a plastic bag below 50 microns as thinner bags are non-disposable. The usage of plastic bags is still high as the ban is not implemented on all plastic bags. National Green Tribunal in Delhi introduced a ban on disposable plastic like cutlery, bags and other plastic items amid concern over India’s growing waste. 

India has pledged to ban all single-use plastics by 2022. The government has announced a number of steps to phase out single-use plastics with the eventual goal of stopping all usage to reduce the country’s plastic footprint.

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The Reliance Industries had planned to build the world’s largest zoo in Jamnagar, Gujarat. 

It was found that the zoo is the dream project of Anant Ambani which would include hundreds of species of animals from across the world. The zoo will be built on 280 acres of land located near another project of the company in Moti Khavdi which is apparently the world’s largest oil refinery. 

The zoo will be called Greens Zoological, Rescue and Rehabilitation Kingdom which would constitute various sections like the exotic land, dragon’s land, the insect life, aqua kingdom or the reptile world. 

The zoo is planned to inhabit various species of animals such as the African lion, Indian wolf, Gorilla, Zebra, African Elephant, Komodo Dragon, Giraffe, Cheetah, Jaguar, Orangutan, Pygmy Hippo, Malayan Tapir and Fishing Cat.

It is scheduled that the zoo will be opened for public by the next two years. All the regulatory approvals have been secured from the government. 

Previously, Reliance has set up a centre in Jamnagar where they had shifted some rescued leopards as a part of the Corporate Social Responsibility activity by providing shelter to injured animals.

Owing to the reason that the facility will be constructed in Gujarat and the Prime Minister also have been accused several times of supporting the corporates especially Ambanis in providing them easy approvals. 

Additionally, the native place of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is Gujarat and many technological and infrastructural developments have been taking place in Gujarat, from India’s first seaplane, bullet train and the statue of unity to the world’s largest zoo. 

Even the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has been focusing on the development in the state of Uttar Pradesh, whether it is regarding the largest film city and the international airport in Noida or the developments in Ayodhya. 

This would be considered a biased situation for some people in the country that the central government is undertaking the infrastructural developments only in certain regions. But it can also be perceived by people when they say ‘charity always begins from home.’

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By Bharati Kumari

Most tyres used for vehicles in India are made domestically. In India, waste is not just waste anymore, and everyone from small to large industries is super conscious to make pollution-free earth.

There is a persisted growth in all recycling fields, particularly when it comes to scrap tyres. Recycling business not only provides a golden opportunity to earn money but also helps one contribute to the government’s aspiration of creating a pollution-free and less hazardous environment. 

The number of scrap tyres will increase the number of new cars. In the first place, the use of cars is not going to go down in this upcoming generation, so there is going to be more tyres to recycle. On the other hand, the usage of recycled tyres may cause pollution and be hazardous. Further, the tyre and car industries are moving towards using radial tyres, which contain steel and textile, instead of the current traditional Indian diagonal nylon tyres. This may lead to an interest in cleaning the steel from waste tyres.

When tyres become no longer functional due to wear or damage, and can no longer be re-treaded or re-grooved, end-of-life tyres are typically shortlisted for recycling. Tyre recycling is the process of converting end-of-life or unwanted old tyres into material that can be utilized in new products. 

The importance of Tire Recycling can be resolved as old tyres are being increasingly utilized. Old tires provide shelter for small mammals. It also traps water, providing mosquitoes with a seedbed. 

75 per cent of airspace is consumed by tyres in landfills. Apart from this, if tyres trap methane gases they may become buoyant and rise to the surface. Landfill liners that are designed to prevent contaminants from polluting surface and groundwater may result in its shatter. 

Tyres became cheaper since the foundation of synthetic rubber made from cheap imported oil, as well as by the adoption of steel-belted radial tires. Tyres are usually less acutely recycled moreover much difficult to recycle. Consequently, worn-out tyres increasingly found their way to landfills or were often dumped illegally. Fortunately, tyres are now increasing diverted from landfills. 

In India, the tyres are dispersed between recyclers who granulate them for use in either road-building or sports fields, firms that burn them as cheap fuel to make cement or bricks, and legal and illegal pyrolysis plants.

As per the evaluation of India’s Automotive Tyre Manufacturers’ Association, the majority of the imported waste tyres end up in pyrolysis plants. Focusing on the environmental groups and residents living near pyrolysis plants, India is considering to ban the most sophisticated operations.

Last week, the Kamer van Koophandel (KVK) published its latest shortlist to encourage the growth and innovation of small- and medium-sized enterprises in the Netherlands.

Black Bear Carbon, the leading company in recovering high-quality carbon black (CB) from end-of-life tyres, has been shortlisted for the first time in its existence.

Also most recently, tyres seemed to be piled up at Black Bear Carbon recycling facility. Every year, more than 1.5 billion end-of-life tyres enter the global waste stream. Black Bear aims to make new industrial raw materials out of them.

Often, individuals burn tyres, this does more harm than good to the environment. Another key benefit of recycling tyres means that the air isn’t getting polluted by burning the tyres. Recycling will go a long way to the green globe and keep us safe. As tyres are durable and not naturally biodegradable, they remain in dumpsites with little degradation over time, presenting a continuing environmental hazard. It is crucial to find ways for their alternative utilisation by means of recycling.

Photo credits- National geography

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India is one of the most populous countries with over 1.3 billion people. The country is also set to bypass China to become the country with the highest population in the world. However, along with the high population arises certain significant environmental problems. It becomes imperative to keep track of the ecosystem and the corresponding developments that take place. The country is expected to be more environmentally sustainable. 

Some of the major environmental issues that the country is facing are groundwater depletion, pollution, water scarcity, climate change, sanitation, loss of ecosystem and biodiversity, etc. 

Air pollution is one of the main environmental problems in India. With the development and growing industrial sector, the smoke emitted by those industries is the most important reason for pollution. Apart from environmental degradation, it also causes many health and respiratory problems. According to the International Energy Agency, there is expected to be over 9 lakh premature deaths due to the drastic rise in air pollution in the country by 2040.

Apart from the obvious reasons of environmental deterioration, climate change is said to be a more recent cause. It is related to climate and temperature alterations majorly due to emission greenhouse gases, burning of fossil fuels, global warming, etc. Climate change had resulted in extreme changes in the temperature and weather conditions such as famines, cyclones, floods, cloud bursts, etc including high or low rainfall.

In order to combat these repercussions, some people have been initiating several environmental movements in both national and international domain. Many environmentalists around the world are working towards sustainable management of resources and ecosystem through changes in public policies and behaviours of the people. 

One of the most popular movements is the Chipko Movement which was started in 1973 by Sunderlal Bahuguna which the aim to protect the trees on the Himalayas from getting cut down by the contractors. 

The villages of the nearby areas stood hugging the trees to stop the trees from being cut. The main demand of the protestors was that the local people should have access to the benefits of the forests mainly fodder. However, the protesters including women were subject to police beatings, firings and torture. 

Later, a committee set up to look into the matter had ruled the verdict in favour of the villagers. This movement is considered a benchmark movement in the history of social and environmental movements around the world.

There was also the climate change protest, 2019. The Global climate strike was the initiative of Greta Thunberg, a Swedish activist known for fighting climate change. There have been several protests in India concerning the deforestation of the trees in the Aarey colony, the use of plastics, etc.

Recently, the Bahamas National Trust has released that statement of saying NO to Oil and YES to our oceans. An increasing number of Bahamians has been protesting against the extraction of oil in the country. The people are not willing to combat the environmental effects of setting up the oil industry in the region. 

The Bahamians depend on the marine ecosystem and the oceans for their livelihood. Owing to the reliance on marine life and the ocean such as fishing, tourism, resorts including water sports services, the oil operations in the region shall have significant effects. It not only threatens the environment but also the economic sphere. 

They have stood up to the United States urging for immediate action against the matter. The country is already facing the threat of climate change, burning of fossil fuels that would result in increased storm activity and sea levels due to global climate change with the effects related to oil exploration.

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Food and beverages multinational Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Nestle haz emerged as the top global plastic polluters for the third time in a row, reveals the annual audit form Break Free From Plastic.

Break Free From Plastic is a global movement of about 200 NGOs that check and monitor the exposed plastic waste by large companies.

Coca-Cola among them was the top contributor of plastic as the number of its beverage plastic bottles found discarded on beaches, rivers, parks and other places were more than that of Pepsi and Nestle combined.

 The annual report was done with the help of 15,000 volunteers from around the world who identified and recorded the branding found on littered plastic waste. From the 36,494 pieces of plastic collected 63 per cent of them had branding of their companies.

Coca-Cola earlier this year was condemned by environmentalist for its statement of refusing to abandon plastic bottles as it said many of its consumers still prefer them. However, all the top three companies said they were investing more in the recycling infrastructure and denied the claim of not making any progress.

Emma Priestland, global corporate campaigns coordinator of Break Free From Plastic while announcing the annual report 2020 said, “The world’s top polluting corporations claim to be working hard to solve plastic pollution, but instead they are continuing to pump out harmful single-use plastic packaging.”

According to a 2017 study, 91 per cent of the plastic produced is non-recyclable and ends up being incinerated or buried. When incinerated, it pollutes the atmosphere with harmful chemicals and when buried it contaminates the soil.

The solution towards the lying problem ahead is to cease the global flow of plastic onto the earth is to strictly encourage reusable biodegradable plastics.

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Delhi’s air is increasingly becoming more polluted and unbreathable. For the last many days the capital was witnessing an “unusual” condition and no quick recovery was predicted from the “severe” air pollution, since the level of air was depleting due to burning of crops and rice stubbles by the farmers in states like Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. Subsequently, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal decided to bring out the bio-composing solution developed by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute at Pusa and referred to as the “Pusa Decomposer” to address the problem of stubble burning. With this implementation, the state experienced some relief nearly after two weeks of heavy air pollution in the national capital with the AQI reaching the moderate category.

This step has proved to be a success for farmers across North India to get an organic solution to stubble burning. Arvind Kejriwal, said this method has provided a cheap and effective alternative for stubble burning to other states and also urged other states like Punjab and Haryana to implement it and hoped that “this is the last year the national capital would suffer from (air) pollution”, as this step would require quick rotation of crops thus it will help farmers retain the nutrients from crop residue in their fields.

The Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai highlighted “In Delhi, 40% of the pollution happens due to the stubble burning in the neighboring states. This year also, the spike in pollution is due to the massive stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana.”

He added after the bio-decomposer experiment has shown that 90% of the stubble can be converted into manure in about 20 days and how effective this process is, “the central government and the state governments should also implement this method.”

Following a visit to Hiranki village in North West Delhi, where a pilot project was undertaken to check the efficacy of the bio-decomposer, Kejriwal said, “To provide an alternative to stubble burning, the Delhi government has taken a crucial step in association with the PUSA Institute. We had sprayed the bio-decomposer solution on the farmlands across Delhi around October 13, which was developed by the Delhi government under the guidance of the PUSA Institute. Now, the entire stubble has converted into manure and the fields are ready for sowing again.”

The Institute director, Ashok Kumar Singh had revealed that the Pusa Decomposer was “capable of dealing with all kinds of bio-mass” and that the Institute had tied up with eight companies to ramp up the production of the decomposer capsules for mass consumption from next year. He had hoped that with the use of the bio-decomposer, farmers would be able to retain and decompose a portion of the stalk and the roots in the fields and thus add to the nutrition in the soil.

The decomposer is required to be fermented for nearly a week before it is spread in the form of a solution in the fields. Completely organic, it contains strains from fungi, which assist in producing enzymes essential to quicken the decomposition of bio-mass. The solution helps in bringing the decomposition time of shredded and watered paddy straw from around three months to just 25 days.

Now slowly Delhi will experience fewer problems due to this method. As on the other hand, this method enlightens other solutions to the problem as the farmers themselves are very troubled because their families and the villages had to bear the brunt of pollution but following this method, the problem is resolved.

In Delhi, Kejriwal noted that the government took upon itself the responsibility to spray the bio-decomposer solution across farmlands around October 13. “We have sprayed the solution across Delhi in just Rs 20 lakh,” he said, adding that the bio-decomposer has proved its efficacy.

“We would present this alternative in front of the Supreme Court owing to the effectiveness of this alternative. The farmers and the scientists of the PUSA Institute are very satisfied with the output of the solution. No government can make an excuse that they have no alternative or solution to the problem of stubble burning, because a very cheap alternative is available,” he added.

Kejriwal also disclosed how the Union environment minister had told him that Delhi should experiment with the bio-decomposer first before other states could be pressed to use it.

The chief minister also spoke about how he tried to meet the Union minister for a long time but in vain. “He must have been busy, and so I talked to him on the phone. I told him that we might be late in providing this alternative to the farmers, the Centre must try and stop stubble burning as much as they can in Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. He said that Delhi may experiment with it first, and based on the efficacy of the alternative, the Centre will then consider implementing it in other states.”

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Due to sudden attack of novel coronavirus pandemic across the world, lockdowns were imposed to slow the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the country thereby regulation of transportation was restricted thus global demand for petroleum collapsed. As a result, oil prices plummeted, making the manufacture of virgin plastics from fossil fuels is cheaper than recycling. This cost incentive, along with lifestyle changes that increase plastic use, has complicated the challenge of overcoming plastic pollution.

While there are no doubts that our front-line workers need proper protection and medical equipment to keep battling this pandemic hence use of, personal protective equipment (PPE) has increased plastic pollution. In response to high PPE demand among the general public, health care workers, and service workers, single-use face mask production in China soared to 116 million per day in February, about 12 times the usual quantity. If the global population adheres to a standard of one disposable face mask per day after lockdowns end, the pandemic could result in a monthly global consumption and waste of 129 billion face masks and 65 billion gloves. Providing Accurate data on the increased use of single-use plastic and disposables in Hospitals of India hard to come by but they produced nearly about 90 million tons (such as disposable face masks, gloves, and gowns) per day at the peak of the pandemic, and before the pandemic occurred the daily usage was 17 million tons per year. Overall, it found a 47% rise in single-use plastic in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi, and Pune.

Individual choices during lockdowns also increased plastic demand. If we walk into a salon these days and prepare to be greeted by stylists in layers of PPE suits, masks, face shields, and gloves, all of the disposable material, usually plastic,  If we are planning for packaged take-out meals and home-delivered groceries then it also contributes an additional factor of plastic waste hence the demand for recycled plastic material has dropped, the profit margins of recycling have decreased, and due to inexpensive and durable factor, the environmental footprint of plastics has increased. The global plastic packaging market size is projected to grow mainly due to pandemic response but let’s not forget there is one pandemic we cannot simply turn blind eye to, a pandemic raging for years of environmental pollution. As this adds up in affecting wildlife, wildlife habitat, and humans moreover this pollution can afflict land, waterways, and oceans. Living organisms, mainly marine animals, get affected by mechanical effects, such as entanglement in plastic objects, problems related to the ingestion of plastic waste, or through exposure to chemicals within plastics.

By considering some other factors like usually carcasses were kept in a coffin, as it was but due to covid19 bodies are wrapped with plastic wraps. In this season, for the past 5/6 months all over the world around 600,000 died were wrapped with plastic (so that virus doesn’t spread). But the environment is handicapped. Though air pollution has come to a minimum, the ground is being contaminated. Think of the people who got recovered (around 100,00,000). So many masks, so many PPEs, general public using Masks. The environment is more contaminated in Corona, by the uses of surgical plastics.

This global health crisis puts extra pressure on regular waste management practices, leading to inappropriate management strategies, including mobile incineration, direct landfills, and local burnings. Improper disposal of just 1% of face masks translates to more than 10 million items, weighing 30,000 to 40,000 kg. Waterlogged COVID-19–related plastic has been observed on beaches and in water, potentially aggravating the challenge of curtailing microplastics.

We need an urgent and coordinated commitment to circular economy approaches, including recycling practices and strict policies against plastic pollution. Companies should continue efforts to curtail virgin plastic use and increase plastic recycling to live up to their corporate social and environmental responsibilities.

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Minimizing and managing waste is important not only because waste pollutes the environment as a whole but also it has a huge implication on one’s health. It is therefore important that waste is rightly managed. Hence to tackle the issue the municipal commissioner of a coastal city in Andhra Pradesh has announced war on aimless garbage dumping in a special way. He sends “return gifts” of domestic waste to residents who do not hand it over to civic body-assigned garbage collectors.

As Pollution prevention is a key issue to sustainability. The best way to deal with pollution is to prevent it from being created in the first place. This means finding new efficiencies, doing things smarter, and valuing every resource. In Kakinada city of East Godavari district, almost 55km east of Hyderabad, municipal commissioner Swapnil Dinakar Pundkar gets his staff to collect the irresponsibly discarded garbage and “home delivers” it to those who have no qualms about throwing it on the roads and in drains – one of the biggest factors leading to urban flooding.

Mr. Pundkar adopted this strict technique to try and change the residents’ habits days after the civic body started an awareness campaign on responsible waste management under the Clean India Mission, but found people continuing with their old ways.

Municipal commissioner Swapnil Dinakar Pundkar told to agencies that, “We have been doing awareness drives (on the correct way to dispose of garbage to make the city clean), but some people refuse to follow the rules. Whoever is found littering on the road, the garbage will be collected and sent back to their house as a deterrent after due verification. With this “return gift”, we want to tell them that this is a wrong practice.”

Visuals show Mr. Pundkar touring the city with municipal workers, who point out homes where reportedly refuse to “cooperate”. He is seen warning residents against dumping garbage on the road and then supervising his staff to carry a bag of garbage to the house and empty it at the entrance.

There are 1.2 lakh households and 80,000 houses in Kakinada city, where 90 percent of homes have been given barcodes that are scanned every time a civic worker collects garbage. The city has nearly 1,200 municipal staffers, of whom 900 are involved in door-to-door garbage collection. This initiative has been taken to stop garbage dumping on roads as it attracts stray animals. So people should segregate wet and dry waste, if possible. Then municipal bodies recycle wet waste into vermicompost and dry waste is recycled and resold.

With increasing human population, pollution has become a great concern. Pollution from human activities is a problem that does not have to be inevitable. With a comprehensive pollution prevention program, most pollution can be reduced, reused, or prevented. Reducing and managing pollution may decrease its health impacts.

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