METHODS OF PRIMARY COLLECTION OF WASTE
10.7.1 Door Step Collection through Containerized Handcarts
A bell may be affixed to the handcart given to the sweeper or a whistle may be provided to the sweeper in lieu of a bell. Each sweeper may be given a fixed area or beat for sweeping plus a fixed number or stretch of houses for collection of waste. The local bodies may, based on local conditions, fix the work norms as they deem appropriate. It is suggested that in congested or thickly populated areas, 250 to 350 running metres (RMT) of road length and the adjoining houses may be given to each sweeper, whereas in less congested areas 400 to 600 running metres of the road length with adjoining houses may be allotted to a sweeper depending upon the density of population in the given area and local conditions. In low density areas even 650 to 750 running metres of road length and houses can be given. Normally 150 to 250 houses coupled with the above road length may be taken as a yardstick for allotment of work to an individual sweeper.
10.7.2 Role of Sweeper
The sweeper should ring the bell or blow the whistle indicating his arrival at the place of his work and start sweeping the street. The people may be directed through adequate publicity campaign that on hearing the bell or whistle they should deposit their domestic biodegradable waste into the handcart of the sweeper or hand over the waste to him/her.
At places where it is not convenient for the householder to deposit the waste in the handcart/tricycle, on account of their non-availability at home when sweeper arrives in their areas, they may leave the domestic waste in domestic bins or bags just outside their houses on the street in the morning so as to enable the sweepers to pick up the waste and put it into the handcart.
No sweeper may be expected or directed to do house-to-house collection by asking for waste at the doorsteps, as this will affect his energy and productivity.
10.7.3 Collection through Motorised Vehicles
Local bodies as an alternative to doorstep collection through containerised handcarts may deploy motorised vehicles having unconventional/sounding horn for doorstep collection of waste. Driver of the vehicle should intermittently blow the horn announcing his arrival in different residential localities and on hearing this, the householders should deposit their domestic waste directly into such vehicle without loss of time.
