The Garbage Needs a Thought!

Standing atop my terrace, I observed the garbage collection system this morning.

A neat cycle-trolley was being steered out of the residential colony by an official Municipal employee. The cart was painted - Indore Municipality - and had neat polythene bags stacked inside, apparently collected door-to-door.

Her milk is what some will drink

I was very happy to see that there is a functioning garbage disposal system. Then came the shocker. 

The cart reached the big metal garbage container on the main street. And I assumed that the person will now empty everything into the main container. These containers are then taken for emptying by big trucks that pick them up every 2-3 days, and then replace them again (emptied).

But no.

He emptied everything on the road just all around the container (the service road on which the big container is put). Then two rag-picker girls with their sacks came along quickly. They rummaged through the fresh garbage, and collected useful things and left. Then 6 cows came, and started opening (through force of their mouths and hoofs) the polythenes and consuming the rubbish happily. Then the cycle-cart wallah himself collected useful stuff and put it into his own cart.

Then, our friend (the cart-wallah) was busy cleaning his cart with a gentle hand. (I must admit his gentle movements surprised me - for his profession, I expected a rough hand.) He was least interested that he has just collected the garbage from inside the colony, and dirtied the entire service road area! The poor big container must have been begging for some contribution inside, but no sir, it was not to be!

Finally, he left, with a clean and emptied cycle-cart, with all rubbish lying outside the big container. The cows seemed very happy munching through the fresh garbage.

I was forced to contemplate what was going on.

Some learnings:

• We Indians have to learn to put garbage INSIDE the containers meant for it, not OUTSIDE!
• Even garbage collection systems have their vested interests right to the last point of disposal.
• The nonchalance of the cart-wallah meant it was a daily practice for him
• The supervision system needs to be very meticulous, with adequate penalties at each point
• Citizens need to report to the concerned authorities when they see a flagrant violation like this

Operationally speaking, it was a reminder that no system will run smoothly on its own. Occasional checks and balances are a must, no matter how stinky the affair be!

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