"OUR COUNTRY INDIA LOOKS DIRTY"
[AGAINST]
WENDY ACADMY HIGH SCHOOL
SIDDHARTH DIXIT
The environment we live in is delicately balanced and as soon as it looses balance it brings distress, disease and suffering. After the industrial revolution, pollution gradually increased, the population also increased and with it the economic prosperity of the people. Consumerism has become the order of the day. Household objects, beautifully packed food stuff no doubt lure the people. Disposable items, syringes, gauge, glass bottles, metallic cans, packaged materials, and plastic pieces became the content of our garbage.
If we talk about industrial waste, it is about 50% of the raw material that the industry uses, out of which 15% is estimated to be toxic. Industries have come under a law where they have to process and treat their waste. In Kanpur itself, tanneries were shut down for some time for they were dumping their liquid waste into the nearby areas. They were told to have a treatment plant before they could resume production.
Medical wastes from hospitals and nursing homes contain many bacteria and viruses. Rag pickers, mostly children are vulnerable to attack of dangerous diseases. Government has framed a law against the dumping of biomedical wastes. It is sterilized and incinerated so that it may not be a health hazard. A lot is being done to keep the country clean and free of the pollution. Municipal authorities have taken up solid waste management programme. To keep the cities clean, the first step would be to reduce the production of solid waste, then segregation of biodegradable and non-biodegradable material. Vermiculture is being done. As far as biodegradable material is concerned, people are being educated about composting. While the non-biodegradable material is recycled and new items are made so that it may be used further. Efforts are being made on a large scale to produce energy from the garbage.
We in India mostly dispose solid waste through landfills. Many bulldozers and trucks work round the day to keep the cities clean. Plants to process refuse have come up. The recycled solid waste can be reused. The revenue generated is used to compensate the expenditure incurred on collection and transportation of solid waste. High temperature incinerators have been put up to reduce the volume of the solid waste from 20% to 30% of the original volume.
At the national level the government is fully aware of the urgency to keep the nation clean. The infrastructure has been provided to all municipalities but it is we who have to do our bit and not litter about on streets. We cannot shake off the responsibility on our shoulders by simply saying ‘our country looks dirty'.