Waste-Management-village-hills-Himalayas
I hope to help the
community understand the harms of the toxins produced
from burning rubbish and assist in providing an initial alternative. I also
hope to help the community feel a part of the extensive regional and global
environment conservation movements. In the long term I visualise engagement
with the community through a routine rubbish-pick up walk, placement of the waste
collection bins near the shops in the village or neighbouring communities and engagement
with the local school. In the future, there is also need to for work in water
sanitation and management. However for now, with support of other team-members I
will focus on achieving some small steps within the small part of the village community.
At the end of the 3-month period we will be able to evaluate the success of the
project and re-assess our strategy and activity plans as well as the community’s
needs and attitudes to move forward for a community based sustainable solution
and a working model. “
by
Morgan McIntosh, Australia
Morgan McIntosh, Australia
A problem evident
throughout India, improper disposal of waste and a lack of required facilities
is a challenge also facing the rural communities in the hills and mountains in
northern India state of Himachal Pradesh. The adverse affects of waste being
frequently thrown on the side of the road and piles burnt when collected is
extensive and reaches to not only environmental concerns but also health. There
are various organisations working on waste-management and environmental issues
in the region but there is still a very long way to go. With no effort or project
underway at our project site before our arrival in the village, Morgan McIntosh
from Australia started her internship on the project SWASH village (Sanitation
of Water, Air and Soil for Healthy village) with a 3-month implementation plan
for the community focusing on both resource and facility development as well as
educational activities designed to generate interest and awareness.
“Here in this
hilly village near Dharamsala my primary objective is to firstly introduce a
system to collect and relocate the rubbish so that it is not burned in the
vicinity of the community. With the community initially very receptive to ideas
about waste-management projects I anticipate this step to be well received. I
believe challenges will come from the transportation of waste from the
community and possibly maintaining interest and enthusiasm in the project once
the novelty has subsided. Having completed the research and planning part of my
project, I hope to at least have achieved this first step before my departure.
I hope to help the
community understand the harms of the toxins produced
from burning rubbish and assist in providing an initial alternative. I also
hope to help the community feel a part of the extensive regional and global
environment conservation movements. In the long term I visualise engagement
with the community through a routine rubbish-pick up walk, placement of the waste
collection bins near the shops in the village or neighbouring communities and engagement
with the local school. In the future, there is also need to for work in water
sanitation and management. However for now, with support of other team-members I
will focus on achieving some small steps within the small part of the village community.
At the end of the 3-month period we will be able to evaluate the success of the
project and re-assess our strategy and activity plans as well as the community’s
needs and attitudes to move forward for a community based sustainable solution
and a working model. “
