2023-08-23
Location: Indira Basti, Near Lal mandir and Shiv Mandir, Sharda Nagar, Ward 21, Haridwar
Date: 2021-08-21
Waste generator trainings at Indira Basti and Shiv Mandir, Haridwar
Our team in Haridwar organized waste generator training at Indira Basti and in Shiv Mandir to create awareness regarding different waste streams, their segregation, and the adverse impact of mixed waste on our holy river Ganga.
At Indira Basti, our ground team selected an open space (to maintain social distancing during COVID times!) to set up a stall for a practical demonstration of different waste streams and recycled products. These products allow the participants to visualize the possibilities of resource recovery if waste is segregated at the source. 22 participants attended the training including men, women, children, and some elders from the locality. We started the training by asking questions about their current practice of waste disposal, the issue of single-use plastic, sustainable alternatives to it, and the ways we can reduce the amount of waste going into open areas including Ganga. We continued the training by explaining different waste streams, recycling of dry waste, the role played by formal and informal waste workers in the waste management systems, and the role of the community in keeping the city clean. The team used different mediums to carry out the training such as flipcharts, videos, and games so that all the participants could absorb the topics discussed.
At Shiv Mandir, we conducted ar training with the ‘Mahila kirtan mandolin group, in the local temple. The team hoped that the learnings of the training were passed on to other women in the locality who were a part of the group and visited the temple often. 15 women participated in this session and the team again used various channels to discuss the topic of source segregation, the impact of mixed waste on the environment and health of humans and animals, and the role that can be played by the households to improve the cleanliness of the city. The session was very interactive and the participants raised many questions regarding waste management to us while giving suggestions to improve waste systems in their locality. To end the training, we conducted a small quiz on the topics covered by the training and were very happy to see that most of the participants had learned well and were interested in implementing these learnings in their daily life.
We hope to continue this training with more residents so that they have the knowledge and tools to help create a Swacch Haridwar and reduce the waste entering Ganga.
