NARESH KUMAR*, NARSI R. BISHNOI 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 10, 2018)
ABSTRACT
Unscientific disposal of DSW is causing serious health hazards and ecological degradation across the country. Presently, domestic solid waste (DSW) management is one of the key issues for attaining the environmental sanitation in rural as well as urban areas and it is treating as a waste only, not as resource so far. Most of solid waste is being dealt in very causal manner leading to resources finishing forever or causing the environmental pollution and ultimately economic loss to the community and nation. In rural waste, most of the fraction is organic which makes it as a rich source of plant nutrients in form of organic fertilizer. Composting is the most economic, eco-friendly and easy to operate old age technique for plant nutrients recovery from the biodegradable wastes. Quantity and quality of waste generated depends upon the economic status, awareness about environment and solid waste management (SWM), population size and distance of the rural locality from the urban areas. Seasonal variations have also been observed in both in quality and quantity of the waste generated. A village level study has been carried out to assess the quantity and quality of DSW generated in 18 study sites of Kurukshetra district. The study was concluded with eco-friendly, low cost, easy to operate and socially acceptable methods for recovery of plant nutrients (compost), commercially recyclable and commercially non- recyclable materials for resource conservation and income generation. This study may be beneficial to the agencies responsible for waste management activities in the
rural and as well as in urban areas by adopting a sustainable low cost model/mechanism.
Key words : Solid waste management, environmental sanitation, sanitation awareness, socio-economic development