Generation of Awareness and Assuring Community Participation in MSW Management
a) Cleanliness Drive
A one month long cleanliness drive was launched in
the core area of Vrindavan on November 22, 2005 as a part of the
Ecocity Project activity on “Achieving Action on Waste Management”
(AAWaM) Programme. The drive was intended to achieve 100% satisfaction
on removal of garbage and cleaning of storm water drains and to
create the needed awareness among the local residents, which might
go a long way in establishing solid waste management system in atleast
a few of the residential colonies.
This drive also entailed the procuring of community
bins and grouting them at strategic locations and safety items for
workers including aprons, rubber boots, rubber gloves, face masks,
caps etc.
In Vrindavan during the cleanliness drive, a one-day event named as “Jagriti” was organized on December 2, 2005 showcasing programmes like Shramdaan, street plays and rally by school children. The programme was a great success engendering awareness amongst people and awakening them to the importance of clean surroundings and general up-keep of the environment. The cultural events that followed epitomised the rich cultural heritage and bringing people together through the cultural songs and dances and various stage plays to create environmental awareness.
Awareness campaign (Jagriti) on December 2, 2005
During this Cleanliness Drive, the Vrindavan Nagar Palika Parishad played an important role by bringing to a common platform a number of NGOs like Food For Life and Friends of Vrindavan and helped in achieving the goals of the Cleanliness Drive. The drive contributed to:
- Unprecedented involvement of various organizations like NGOs-Food For Life, Friends of Vrindavan and Akshaya Patra and participation of large number of local people and school children
- Procurement of various basic MSWM infrastructure like dustbins, safety items like gloves, masks and rubber boots for the workers and tools like panji, favda, brooms and baskets.
- Generation of awareness amongst local people awakening them to the importance of clean surroundings and general up-keep of the environment.
Cleanliness drive in Vrindavan
b) Awareness & education programmes
A number of awareness and education programmes including rallies, competitions for students from schools, street plays, publishing of calendars/pamphlets and conducting of cleanliness drive were undertaken. A video film on “Vrindavan – ecocity in the making” was brought out.
Steps taken by the CEE team to gauge the awareness levels of residents and students include:
- Competitions for school children – painting, debate etc. A
painting competition was organised for school children by CEE
in February 2005 in Vrindavan. A painting was selected from the
competition by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government
of India and released in the form of Indian Postal Stamp of value
Rs. 5.
- Street plays (Nukkad Natak) at various locations in the core area
- Persuasion with local residents to lodge complaints against
any problems regarding drains, sanitation facilities and public
water supply
- Rallies through the entire core area
- Formation of resident Welfare Associations in Sindhi Colony, Banke Bihari
Colony and Dusayat Colony with whom regular discussion were held
apropos the general up-keep of the environment and MSWM issues
in the three colonies.
- Formation of Eco-clubs in Vrindavan inviting participation from the school students in Vrindavan.
- World Environment Day event named “Sahyog” including cleanliness drive/shramdaan, environmental rally by school children and residents, competitions, Nukkad natak in major temples and cleaning of the historical Brahmakund.
A number of NGOs viz. Rotary club, Jaycee’s Club, Giants Club, Friends of Vrindavan and Food for Life and schools/colleges like BSA College and Sandipani Muni School, actively participated, especially in the Cleanliness Drives and awareness campaigns during Jagriti and the World Environment Day.
Rally at Vrindavan on June 5, 2005
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Plantation at Vrindavan on June 5, 2005
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Cleanliness Drive at Vrindavan on June 5, 2005
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Shramdaan during Cleanliness Drive on the World Environment Day 2005
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Vrindavan
Community Awareness
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