To design and develop a decentralized participative system of waste management in a selected ward of Paharganj Zone of Delhi Municipal Corporation. (SGP/CCF/IND/OP2/02/DEL02)

Project Details & Results

Project aims to use innovative means to create an understanding and proactive action at the ground level about solid waste handling through Multi-sectoral participation,and expects to determine sector specific needs to facilitate ragepickers, articulate their issues of concerns and finally includes the concept of norms for waste management at Zonal level.

The project is completed successfully. The major aspects of Im.apact Assessment is that organisation has linked with Railway Department for upscaling of the project for upliftment of Rag pickers and launching up another project of Solid Waste Management at Railway platform of old delhi. The NGO is also established links with local organiations working in the field of Waste management and recycling.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment
yes

Project Results
Overall the progress of the project has been just satisfactory. Due to delay in release of the second installment of funds, and the dynamic nature of the beneficiary communities (migration and relocation) the pace has been rather slow. The NGO also had made a rather ambitious project in a limited time scale. With limited experience, the project has been in a apposition to bring to the surface the problems and the way forward of working with a wide range of stakeholders.

All the stakeholders have actively participated and new partners like youth clubs, Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) have also been made during project implementation. The most challenging aspect of the project has been to effectively liaison and advocate with the Government Officials. This partnership with the Railways has been appreciable and several new initiatives have been started by them. However if in the beginning formal partnerships were built in the project like roles and responsibilities of stakeholders then the officials could have been more accountable and more ground level actions could have been possible. Bhagidari scheme of the Government also could have been accessed as a source of co-financing.

SHGs were an innovative tool towards making the various stakeholders more self-sufficient. Ragpickers SHGs not only provided financial security to them but also ensured the sustainability of the project after the project period was over. The amount collected could have been used to enlarge the scope of some of the project activities like composting units, etc.

The major impacts of the project has been that the organization has been able to address the needs of one of the most neglected sections of the society that is the ragpickers and has built effective mechanisms of communication between them and the railways, MCD, Kabari wallahs. This has not only improved their living and working conditions but also enhanced their social status and self-confidence.

Also where the waste was being burnt, that site has now been cemented and nearly 300 kgs of waste burning has been stopped during one year. Thus nearly 360kgs of carbon emissions have been checked per day. Thus, the project has been able to reduce nearly 2,17,800kgs of carbon emissions during the project period.

The other has been the spread of the concept of composting in the households through youth clubs, students, and resident welfare associations. Several innovations in home composting kits and garbage segregation have also been made. Organizing them into SHGs has been able to ensure their sustainability.

The capacity building of Railway officials and MCD, Police staff also has had considerable impact in terms of forging meaningful partnerships of the beneficiary communities with the Government. This partnership can, in the future, help in availing schemes such as the Bhagidari scheme of the government. Issuing of identity cards for ragpickers, redesigning of Dhalaos, dustbins, new equipment and items of Safai Karamacharis, training of vendors and supervisors have all been innovative initiatives from the Government which has been only possible by the continuous and sustained efforts of the NGO and beneficiary community.