Seminar on Resources & Waste Management

Nishka Uberoi | Copy Editor

Navi Mumbai: On 24th September, Mrs. Rashmi Joshi of Stree Mukti Sagathna addressed the NSS members gathered in SIES auditorium about waste management. This organisation actively works towards many goals, including but not limited to, women empowerment, education, healthcare and betterment of our environment. One of the major problems today, which greatly affects our environment, is inefficient waste disposal. The seminar began with the question that how many people segregated their waste at home. Not surprisingly, there weren’t many. Segregation of waste is the first of many steps towards efficient waste disposal. This organisation trains waste pickers to segregate the waste they collect even if we don’t do it at home. The problem with mixing all kinds of waste and dumping it at one place is, in one word- Deonar. The audience was sensitized towards the issues regarding safe waste disposal and how we can do our bit in making this a reality. One way, the obvious way, is to reduce the amount of waste generated. The Sagathna aims at creating zero waste areas, which means, maximum amount of waste generated in a school, college, housing society, commercial complex etc should be converted into a useful form by recycling. This is only possible by creating awareness about the various ways in which we can contribute to making Mumbai a zero waste city. This is where NSS steps in with its principal of ‘Each one, Teach five’. Also NSS members pledged to actively work towards making their college a zero waste campus. The seminar was an eye-opener with respect to the current dumping practices and how this is affecting our lives in more ways than we think.