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MARCH 19: In a bid to promote behavioral change in waste management, the Ecoclub of Government Degree College (GDC), Marh, in collaboration with the Regional Urban Development Agency (RUDA) and the Centre for Environment Education (CEE) New Delhi, organized its first-ever two-day workshop on Solid Waste Management. The event, supervised by Principal Prof. (Dr.) Rakesh Kumar Koul, aimed to educate the local community about effective waste management practices and to raise awareness about the importance of waste segregation and disposal.
Principal Prof. Rakesh Kumar Koul emphasized the significance of the workshop in the context of the Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban (SBM-U) 2.0. He highlighted the potential of the initiative to become a historic landmark in the future, stressing the importance of reducing plastic waste generation. He further explained that the collaboration with RUDA and CEE New Delhi would focus on enhancing the collection, segregation, recovery, and recycling of non-biodegradable waste, promoting integrated plastic waste management practices. The goal of the project, he noted, is to educate residents on sustainable waste practices, which could help transform the local community’s approach to waste management.
Sanjeev Arora, CEO of RUDA, gave an insightful presentation on the vision of a rural and urban landscape free from plastic and dry waste. He informed the community about how waste segregation could help generate revenue for the Panchayat of Dhateryal by selectively selling dry waste and producing manure through composting wet waste using earthen pots. This approach, he explained, would not only improve the environmental landscape but also create new sources of employment, particularly for the unemployed youth in the village.
Parshotam Lal, former Sarpanch of Dhateryal, expressed his commitment to collaborating with GDC Marh and RUDA to ensure the success of this project. He pledged to work towards making Dhateryal a Green Clean Panchayat, setting an example for other villages to follow.
The event witnessed active participation from over 200 local community members as well as students from the college, all of whom engaged in discussions and practical sessions on solid waste management. The workshop was captured using drone technology by the CEE New Delhi team, which added a unique touch to the event and was highly appreciated by attendees.
It is noteworthy that GDC Marh has been working with RUDA for the past three years and has already received recognition for its contributions to waste management. The college was awarded Carbon Credits by RUDA for donating 4,140 kg of solid waste, marking a significant achievement and serving as an inspiration for others to follow.