Personal interests first: ‘Local communities not forthcoming for waste management’
LWMC MD says company has tried to involve scavengers by providing incentives.
PHOTO: FILE
LAHORE:
Various schemes or mechanisms have been introduced in the city, but the Lahore Waste Management Company has been largely unsuccessful in involving local communities to ensure effective collection.
This was revealed by LWMC Managing Director Bilal M Syed as he spoke in detail with The Express Tribune about the scope of community involvement in waste management projects.
According to Syed, the primary reason behind the lack of involvement is the parallel and informal waste collection system through which domestic workers and residents sell off purchasable waste items to scrap collectors. These include metals, tin, paper cardboard and glass.
“The public generally does not want to give away their segregated waste to us and the same goes for scavengers, for whom these items are a source of livelihood,” he points out.
The MD says communication campaigns have been trying to educate people on the utilisation of kitchen waste. However, these efforts have been limited to pilot projects which were not successful enough to implement on a city level.
Syed says two such projects to increase community involvement were going on in the city. He adds the first one was at Scotch Corner opposite Lahore Gymkhana and the second at Shadman,
“These efforts were met with a better response in high income areas, while residents of lower income localities have their own interests in mind,” he underlines. As for waste collectors, Syed adds there have been several projects initiated to involve scavengers.
“We have asked these individuals to become part of our extended and they will be given incentives such as motorbikes and personal protective equipment. However, they end up making a lot more money than the company has to offer and this becomes a major deal breaker,” he states.
LWMC Deputy Manager Communications Asad Rabani says it is also becoming a challenge to take all the relevant government organisations onboard for such projects.
He adds this is necessary to implement plans, but the priorities and interests of these entities don’t always align with the initiatives.
“For example, our plan to fine individuals who violate solid waste bylaws was only approved after a long and hefty consideration process,” Rabbani recalls.
“Right now we are at a deadlock with the community as forcing people to pay fines is a policy decision, which we as a company are not capable of taking on our own. The public views such regulations with hostility and mistrust,” he concludes.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 14th, 2017.
Various schemes or mechanisms have been introduced in the city, but the Lahore Waste Management Company has been largely unsuccessful in involving local communities to ensure effective collection.
This was revealed by LWMC Managing Director Bilal M Syed as he spoke in detail with The Express Tribune about the scope of community involvement in waste management projects.
According to Syed, the primary reason behind the lack of involvement is the parallel and informal waste collection system through which domestic workers and residents sell off purchasable waste items to scrap collectors. These include metals, tin, paper cardboard and glass.
“The public generally does not want to give away their segregated waste to us and the same goes for scavengers, for whom these items are a source of livelihood,” he points out.
The MD says communication campaigns have been trying to educate people on the utilisation of kitchen waste. However, these efforts have been limited to pilot projects which were not successful enough to implement on a city level.
Syed says two such projects to increase community involvement were going on in the city. He adds the first one was at Scotch Corner opposite Lahore Gymkhana and the second at Shadman,
“These efforts were met with a better response in high income areas, while residents of lower income localities have their own interests in mind,” he underlines. As for waste collectors, Syed adds there have been several projects initiated to involve scavengers.
“We have asked these individuals to become part of our extended and they will be given incentives such as motorbikes and personal protective equipment. However, they end up making a lot more money than the company has to offer and this becomes a major deal breaker,” he states.
LWMC Deputy Manager Communications Asad Rabani says it is also becoming a challenge to take all the relevant government organisations onboard for such projects.
He adds this is necessary to implement plans, but the priorities and interests of these entities don’t always align with the initiatives.
“For example, our plan to fine individuals who violate solid waste bylaws was only approved after a long and hefty consideration process,” Rabbani recalls.
“Right now we are at a deadlock with the community as forcing people to pay fines is a policy decision, which we as a company are not capable of taking on our own. The public views such regulations with hostility and mistrust,” he concludes.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 14th, 2017.