Orientation of Elected Councillors on Participatory Solid Waste Management

PRIA in association with Jhansi Municipal Corporation organized a one day orientation training workshop for elected representatives of urban local bodies. The workshop was attended by around 30 representatives from 7 ULBs of Jhansi Division. These ULBs include Nagar Palika Parishad of Samthar and Mauranipur, Nagar Panchayat of Tori Fatehpur, Baragaon, Moth, Garautha and Nagar Nigam Jhansi. Chairpersons of Samthar Nagar Palika Parishad, Baragaon Nagar Panchayat, Tori Fatehpur Nagar Panchayat and Garautha Nagar Panchayat also participated in the orientation training. The program was structured in 3 interactive sessions focusing on solid waste management rules & the need of solid waste management, processes & methods of solid waste management and citizen engagement.

Shri Sudhir Kumar Singh from PRIA welcomed all the participants on behalf on PRIA and Jhansi Nagar Nigam. He deliberated on the need of the workshop and its key objectives. In the first session, the need of a solid waste management system was established through developing an understanding of sanitation-health-environment connection. The session helped in acknowledging issues related to solid waste management and its importance. A quick demystification of duties and responsibilities of ULBs as per the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 set the tone for the forthcoming sessions of the day.

The second session was focused on process of solid waste management. In this session firstly a game of matching cards was played by the participants assembled in groups of 3, to understand various waste types, respective processing methods and outputs/ end use, using the principle of ‘learning by doing’. After this activity, the participants were told to assess the existing flow of solid waste in their own towns in a participatory way. The exercise included cutting- sticking shapes on waste types, process steps, desired/ undesired practices, on a chart paper. Later the participants drew green and red lines to display the current situation.

In the third session, the participants worked on citizen engagement for improved solid waste management services in their cities. For this interactive group exercise, the participants from each ULB were organised as one group forming a total of 5 groups. Each participant was handed over handouts on methods of citizen engagement and planning the campaign. During the group presentations, role of Swachhta Protsahan Samiti was discussed in detail. Representatives of Samthar Nagar Palika Parishad shared their experience on functioning of these Samitis in their town. PRIA’s Jhansi team also shared its experience about Swachhta Protsahan Samitis in Jhansi.

The orientation training workshop was concluded with vote of thanks on behalf of organizers.