Delhi is one of the most populous cities globally, and waste management has been a persistent problem for decades. Despite numerous efforts by the government and civic authorities to address the issue, Delhi lags behind. In fact, waste management seems to be a neglected issue in the city.
There are several reasons why people in Delhi are apathetic towards waste management. Many tax-paying citizens believe that waste management is solely the responsibility of the civic authorities, without realizing that waste management is a collective responsibility. The scale of the problem is another major factor. With the ever-increasing population and little waste segregation at the source, waste management snowballs into an extremely complicated logistics and treatment operation, leading to the city's toppling landfills. Moreover, not many people understand the implicit impacts of waste management on their own living conditions. While the situation is extreme in areas such as Bhalswa, Ghazipur, and Okhla, Delhi's landfills lead to severe air and groundwater pollution.
Even if a segment of the population commences source segregation, the waste does not stay segregated through the cycle. Promoting source segregation also implies keeping the waste segregated at all stages of Delhi's waste management. However, there is a lack of adequate infrastructure, and the processes involved in waste management are often inefficient and ineffective.
All of these factors contribute to the lack of interest and apathy towards waste management in Delhi. However, the consequences of neglecting waste management are dire. The city's landfills are overflowing and have surpassed their capacity, leading to health hazards and environmental degradation. The poor waste management practices have resulted in the rise of pressing urban concerns such as air pollution, water pollution, and land degradation.
It's high time that people in Delhi start taking waste management seriously. Citizens need to understand that waste management is not just the responsibility of the civic authorities but also theirs. They must take proactive steps to segregate waste at the source, dispose of it responsibly, and raise awareness among their peers. Only by working together can we hope to address the waste management problem in Delhi and create a cleaner and healthier environment for ourselves and future generations.