NARESH KUMAR*, NARSI R. BISHNOI, SUBHASH C. KUNDU AND ASHOK CHAUHAN
Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology, Hisar-125 001 (Haryana), India
*(e-mail : captnaresh@rediffmail.com)
(Received : February 19, 2018; Accepted : April 22, 2018)
ABSTRACT
Systematic domestic solid waste (DSW) management is one of the key challenges in attaining the rural environmental sanitation particularly in developing countries including India. Unscientific disposal of DSW is causing serious hazardous to environment and public health continuously. Presently, most common DSW disposal practices are very unscientific including dumping in open plots or along road sides or water bodies and burning in open leading to air, water and soil pollution. Mismanaged solid waste is also acting as favourable breeding site for vectors like flies and mosquitoes and posing the acute health problems, which also affect the socio-economic development and local ecology adversely. In future, generation of rural solid waste also suppose to be increased due to more usage of non-biodegradable items having one time usage, change in food habits and lifestyle in line of urban culture. A village level study was carried out to assess the present DSW management practices being adopted in 18 study sites of Kurukshetra district and how these are connected with various factors like economic status, nirmal status and distance from urban areas, etc. The study was concluded with environment-friendly DSW management suggestions, which may be beneficial to project proponents, policy makers, executors and researchers to work towards attaining and sustaining the scientific waste management mechanism.
Key words : Solid waste management, rural sanitation, pollution, socio-economic development