COLLECTION OF WASTE FROM SHOPS AND ESTABLISHMENTS
Shops and establishments normally open after 9 am. These timings do not synchronize with the usual work schedule of sweepers. Under such a situation one of the following alternatives may be adopted.
· Sweepers may first carry out the work of street sweeping in the morning hours as usual and soon thereafter take up the work of door-step collection of waste, after most of the shops have opened.
· Waste collectors (rag pickers) may be organised to collect the recyclable waste from shops and establishments as soon as they open, as most of such waste is recyclable. Working arrangements may be made with the shops and establishments accordingly. The shops & establishments may be asked to store waste in two bins if they produce waste other than recyclable waste also. This arrangement may be made on ‘No payment’ basis on either side.
· The recyclable material received by the waste collectors directly from shops and establishments would give them a better return. The waste would be dry and not soiled and would fetch a good price in the market. This will work as an incentive for them to continue door to door collection.
The associations of markets, shops and establishments may be persuaded to organise this service with the help of NGOs and waste collectors in their market.
Note of caution:
Rag picking is an informal income-generating activity undertaken by a poor strata of society. The suggestion to improve their lot by upgrading them to the level of doorstep waste-collector is only with a view to improve the quality of life of the rag-pickers, relieve them from the dirty work of picking up soiled and contaminated waste to earn their living, integrate them in the mainstream of society by giving them access to the houses, shops and establishments to collect recyclable waste from the door step in the same informal manner. The rag-pickers should not, therefore, be given any formal employment on a daily or monthly wage by local bodies or even by NGOs as it may attract the provisions of labour laws. The NGOs should only help in improving their lot by organising them and need not play a role of their employers for the primary collection of recyclable waste from the doorstep. At the same time they should not be prevented by law from engaging in this occupation.
· Doorstep collection service from shops and establishment may be provided or may be contracted out on ‘full cost-recovery’ basis.
· Large commercial complexes could use 3.0 cu.m to 7.0 cu.m containers, which are commonly used by the local bodies for community storage of waste so that its transportation could be synchronized by local bodies along with other containers, kept in the city.
