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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1. Human activities create waste, and it is the way these wastes are handled,
stored, collected and disposed of, which can pose risks to the environment and to
public health. Where intense human activities concentrate, such as in urban
centers, appropriate and safe waste management is of utmost importance to
allow healthy living conditions for the population. This fact has been
acknowledged by most governments, however many municipalities are struggling
to provide even the most basic services. According to the World Resources
Institute one to two thirds of the solid waste generated in cities of the developing
world is not collected. As a result, the uncollected waste, often mixed with human
and animal excreta, is dumped indiscriminately in the streets and in drains, so
contributing to flooding, breeding of insect and rodent vectors and the spread of
diseases (UNEP-IETC, 1996). The waste which is collected is most often dumped
on land in a more or less uncontrolled manner. Such uncontrolled waste disposal
creates serious environmental problems that affect health of humans and animals
and causes serious economic and other welfare losses. The environmental
degradation caused by inadequate disposal of waste can be expressed by the
contamination of surface and ground water through leach ate, soil contamination
through direct waste contact or leach ate, air pollution by burning of wastes,
spreading of diseases by different vectors like birds, insects and rodents, or
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uncontrolled release of methane by anaerobic decomposition of waste.
Traditionally the approach towards environmental problems has been one of
“command” and control, by the responsible authorities largely addressing “end of
pipe” solutions to existing problems. All elements of waste management, in past,
were often only regarded from a purely engineering and technical viewpoint
although it is essential to realize that they are embedded in a local institutional,
socio-cultural, and economic context which is furthermore influenced by national
politics, policies and legislation as well as national and global and economic
factors. In the last decade the emphasis has changed towards finding approaches
to possibly avoid the problem or tackle it as close to the source as possible.
Central to this strategy is the need to minimize the substantial growth in waste
generation and enhance recycling. To achieve this, closer collaboration and
exchange is necessary with the individual residents of the city. Household
involvement is paramount to the success of recycling initiatives where a focus
must be set on willingness of individuals to change current behaviors and
participate, providing that they are informed and empowered to do so. This paper
describes a study and survey conducted at the household level in Sobhanbag
Officer’s Quarters, to identify specific household waste generation and
management patterns, conducted a Stakeholders Analysis with the goal to
develop specific strategies for the various household types to enhance and
promote recycling activities. Although number of landfill exists in but with growing
population size and consumption, several problems concerning waste collection
and disposal have arisen for the city of Dhaka. On the one hand, frequent fuel
shortages exist as all fuel needs to be imported. Thus waste collection is often
irregular. On the other hand, landfill space in the current landfill is limited and
developing new landfills further away from the city poses additional problems due
to increased transport distances requiring more fuel. The city is therefore looking
for options to reduce the waste flow to the landfill and if possible to increase the
amount of secondary raw materials for their industries. Additionally a social
component of the project develops a social strategy to reduce waste at the
household level. To be able to identify suitable measures it was necessary to
assess the individual generation of solid waste at household level and also
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analyze the behaviors of local stakeholders and population in households towards
waste management. The identification of significant patterns helps to develop
individual interventions contributing towards the improvement of the waste
management system. Any project supposed to face difficulties and risk of failure
which need to be considered and mitigation strategy needs to be formulated. A
comprehensive risk management plan is formulated and a stakeholder
assessment also done to handle the whole project in a sensible manner. Finally a
action plan also directed to attain the vision, goal and objective of the project.
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situation of a typical city in the Indian subcontinent, although exact details will
vary from place to place.
Whose responsibility is it? Municipal corporations and councils are charged
with solid waste management; it is usually the Health Department, headed by a
health specialist, which has lead responsibility. The Engineering Department
maintains the vehicle fleet, and may provide inputs if service contracts involving
the private sector are involved. Given the size, complexity and budget share, it
remains surprising that dedicated solid waste management departments are very
rare in municipal government.
What happens to municipal waste? Many southern Asian countries do not have
a formal house to house collection system; householders either deposit their
waste in a communal container, or leave it in small piles outside the house. It is
removed by municipal sweepers who take it to a larger waste transfer point, from
where it is lifted and transported to a disposal site, possibly via another
intermediate transfer point. The collection frequency of the waste varies from daily
upwards, depending upon the resources available and the perceived importance
of the locality in question.
Who works in municipal solid waste? The municipal sweepers are organized
into a system generally by the length of street, and there is a hierarchical system
of supervision in the Health Department which is usually based around
council/corporation Wards (the key functional unit in urban local government).
Vehicle crews are under the overall control of the Transportation Officer, who
assigns their pick up routes. Sweepers have established posts within the
municipality, and appointments are often related to social group and family
history. In many towns and cities, sweepers groups have formed strong unions.
Although sweepers are relatively poor and carrying out what is often regarded as
demeaning work, they nevertheless hold prized positions; in earlier work, we
discovered complex relationships whereby sweepers regularly pay money to their
supervisors which work its way up the system. Certain beats are regarded as
more remunerative, and there are informal systems whereby access rights are
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informally traded between sweepers and supervisors. Matters are further
complicated by the fact that municipal sweepers enter into informal contracts with
households for the removal of waste, some of which is sold on. Some households
enter into agreements with private sweepers (i.e. persons not in the employ of the
municipality) for cleaning and the removal of household waste.
Are there other enterprises associated with solid waste? In addition to waste
reuse/recycling, there are many cases where residents have taken initiatives to
improve the primary collection of solid waste from their neighborhood. Rich and
poor alike pay for additional waste services. Area based organizations and NGOs
have played important roles here and the basis is some form of local enterprise.
This may involve municipal sweepers being paid extra, local activists either
facilitating or managing collection, or a small contractor providing local services.
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Thus solid waste management comprises a whole range of activities involving the
public sector, small-scale private enterprises and service users. There are
potential knock-on effects from project interventions aimed at particular groups or
institutions; therefore in concluding this section, our first Key Guidance Point is:
“Waste management is complex; it is essential to explore the full extent
and range of activities taking place in order to understand the processes and
systems which are operating.”
Project Goals
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7. Goal - B. Create a general consensus on separation of organic and non
organic waste.
8. Goal - C. Creating awareness on economic possibilities of house hold
waste by recycling of composting.
10. Goal - E. Integrate all NGOs and other agencies to work in unison to
promote the concept of waste management system and implementation.
Project Objective
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b. Objective - 5. To arrange training workshop for housewives and
house maid.
13. Goal - C. Creating awareness on economic possibilities of house hold
waste by recycling and composting :
15. Goal - E. Integrate all NGO’s and other agencies to work in unison to
promote the concept of waste management system and implementation:
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b. Objective - 14. To formulate a work plan will all NGO’s and other
agencies.
Results
16. Overview. The implementation of the project would create desired result
as listed in the following discussion.
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21. Creation of Opportunity. As a result of the project the local waste
collectors, local sweepers and various composting and recycling farms will get a
opportunity to gain economically.
CHAPTER II
STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS
Purpose
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b. a description of how the solid waste management system operates
in South asia
c. the key stakeholders in solid waste
d. sample stakeholder analyses based on secondary information
sources from Sobhanbagh Officers Quarters.
e. Stakeholder perceptions of their role based on workshops and
physical interaction.
f. Concluding comments on stakeholder analysis in relation to solid
waste management projects
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• Primary stakeholders who are directly affected, either positively or
negatively, by the implementation of a project or programme.
24. Considering all relevant factors the working group has prepared a list of
stake holders as below:
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management system.
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Description Stakeholders
8. NGO’s Secondary The NGO who all They are the prime H
are working in movers of the idea of
Environment Sector. a clean city.
9. Local Secondary There are the There people shall I
Thieves people who all are have significant
living by means of disturbance in the
stealing things and running of the
earning money by project.
selling those.
Prioritizing of Stakeholder
25. Since resource time and finance will be limited so the stakeholders got to
be prioritized. They should be place in difference sectors. To handle stakeholders
in different sectors is a intricate aspect because who ever is analyzing the stake
holders need have idea and policies of that sector that would help in conducting
stake holders analysis properly and effectively. The working groups have
intimately interacted with various stakeholders and prioritize them in following
manner in respect of Power and Interest:
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26. We have very little secondary information available on stake holders for the
EFWMS in Sobhanhag Officer’s Quarter. As a result the working group had to
interview the stakeholders and other related people to gather information on
them. The working groups have found out following tools:
Stakeholders Characteristics
27. The chosen stake holders were analyzed to ascertain their various
characteristics which all have relation with the implementation of the project. The
characteristics of all stake holders are given in Annex C.
Interview Questionnaire
28. The working has interviewed the stake holders to get their impression and
build their characteristics data. The specimen’s questionnaire is given in Annex D.
Reference Chart
29. The reference chart was developed after the interview questionnaire and
stake holder table. The working group has also identified the specific interview
questions that yield the information for each column of the stake holder’s analysis
table. All the data were recorded and place with optimum care to find out usable
information. The reference chart is given in Annex C.
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30. Although the intent in prioritizing the stakeholder list was to select only
those stakeholders with power and leadership, the first analysis is designed to
use the information from the table to further prioritize the stakeholders within the
selected group interviewed. This second prioritization, based on actual data and a
more select group, allows policymakers and managers to focus resources on
addressing the concerns of the most important of the priority stakeholders. The
"importance" of stakeholders is defined here as their ability to affect the
implementation of the policy. Since power and leadership are the characteristics
that determine a stakeholders ability to affect or block the implementation of a
policy, these two characteristics are the basis for the first "importance" analysis.
The table is shown in Annex E.
31. All the stakeholders were given questionnaire to understand their stand
points which are very crucial to reach a deduction about how they are looking at
the project. Are they supporting or opposing. The spectrum of Stakeholder stand
point is as below:
a. Supporter (S). Those who will support the project despite any other
external factors. This is denoted by S the Stakeholder reference chart.
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d. Moderate Opponent (MO). These stakeholders do not
support the project rather they oppose the project but their opposition is
moderate in nature. Identified by MO.
Analysis of Alliance
32. Possible stakeholder alliances can also be identified from the table
information which is given in stakeholder map. The alliances can be identified in
two ways:
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requirement is given in same color code. Apart from this probable alliance which
can form in different perspective is given below:
In the above table the maximum probable alliance with maximum participation is
shown. These alliances are likely to remain but the potential participants may
vary. This will be shown in the Stakeholders Mapping.
Stakeholder Mapping
33. The purpose of whole stakeholders’ analysis is to place all the data in the
Matrix which is known as Stakeholders Map so that all the data are handy to use
or to analyze them for deciding the strategy to handle each stakeholder. The
stakeholders map is given in Annex F.
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holder’s according to their merit. From stake holder’s map we may design
following strategy:
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positive impression of the project. strategy to handle
2. Do not do any thing so that they them.
become hostile.
3. Monitor so that they can not influence
C, D, F.
H 1. Keep them informed. 1. Keep a good
2. Utilize them for handling C, D, F. working
3. Make a joint platform of work. environment with
4. Interact by conference and meeting this stake holder.
frequently.
I 1. Increase security so that they can not 1. Create a
be functional. comprehensive
2. Absorb them in project work. security plan to
3. Ensure command and control on negotiate threat
them. from this stake
holder.
CHAPTER III
Plan of Action
General Outline
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36. Analysis of Area. For easy administration of the area divided into 4
Blocks i.e Block A, Block B, Block C, Block D. The map of the area is given in the
map below. Each blocks are having following number of Houses:
a. Block A. 45
b. Block B. 75
c. Block C. 64
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37. Infrastructure. Two piece of land in the outskirts of the residential
areas will be provided by Dhaka DC office in coordination with DCC and the site
infrastructure will be constructed. The land will be cleared of potential trees, the
ground will be flattened, water and power connection will be arranged, a fence will
be build, and etcetera. A compost shed, a material shed, and an office will be
constructed on the site. Each household will be given two plastic segregation
buckets free of charge. In order to collect the waste from the households and
thereafter transport it to the site, the project will have three Environment Friendly
Waste Van at their disposal.
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WASTE MANAGEMETN ORGANIZATION
Director
Planning
.........................................................................................................................
Coordination
NGO
Local
Executive
Committee
..........................................................................................................................
Financial
Supervisor Supervisor Supervisor
Supervisor
Activities
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and the facilities have been set up, the project will consist of the following
activities in broad outline:
• Segregation of waste at source
• Primary collection
• Composting of biodegradable waste
• Recycling of non-biodegradable waste
• Awareness and information campaigns
42. Composting of organic Waste. At the site, all biodegradable waste will
be composted either in aerobic composts or in the more costly vermi-composts.
Aerobic composting refers to a process where biodegradable waste is biologically
decomposed under controlled conditions by microorganisms (mainly bacteria and
fungi) under aerobic conditions. The product, compost, can effectively be utilized
as an organic fertilizer to rejuvenate soils. A key risk associated with composting
relates to the product; i.e. compost that is free from environmental hazards. If
composting is not based on segregation at source, the product risks becoming
contaminated. posting is a low-cost option, which can be implemented on different
levels of scale, thus adapted to a city’s specific context. Vermi-composting is
based on the digestion of waste by earthworms. A pre-composting phase is
necessary where waste is left to decompose partially and thereafter fed to the
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worms. The worm casting is harvested as vermi-compost. The NGO green Dhaka
will be responsible for all arrangement. They will also be responsible to promote
selling of those prod net.
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• Inform the public about the two buckets (free of charge) Green for the wet
and Red for the dry waste respectively;
• Inform the public about the daily door-to-door waste collection and
handing over of the waste to the Street Beautifiers;
• Inform the public about communal bins for organic waste in buildings,
institutions, companies, and residential colonies;
• Inform the public about collection of the monthly household fee of Tk
200/-
• Encourage the utilization of compost for farming and gardening. Increase
the public’s awareness and knowledge about compost use and benefits in
order to increase market demand.
46. Time Schedule. The time schedule will be very flexible so that community
need and comfort is reflected. Schedule fixation committee will form under the
discretion of the Director. This will include the timing for house hold collection
schedule at the same time community waste collection schedule will also be
reviewed periodically. The tentative schedule is as under:
Subject Schedule
Community Waste Collection Every Monday and Thursday
Road Beautification Every Saturday and Tuesday
Cleaning and Sweeping of the Premise Every Sunday
House hold Waste Collection Everyday
47. General. Success of the project will completely depend on the efficient and
sincere effort of all related personnel related to the project. The outline of the
roles and responsibility will be defined in a manner to that enough flexibility is
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visible to incorporate new roles and responsibilities. The outline of roles and
responsibility will be re-defined periodically to address new challenge.
49. Members of Local Community. The local community will be the users of
the project. They will have a pivotal role the implementation and sustainment of
the project. Following are the outline of their responsibilities:
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d. Extend helping hand towards the management for keeping the
management for keeping the system working in optimum.
a. Establish and keep congenial working environment with all related people
of project.
b. Keep an eye on the environmental aspects of the project so
that its not giving any pollution as by product.
c. Keeping the local “SUPS” and all other poor stake holders
satisfied.
51. SUPS. This is the community who all will be utilized for the project.
However the roles and responsibilities are as below:
a. Understanding environmental aspects of the society.
b. Contribute positively to implementation and sustainment of the
project.
c. Cooperate with highest importance with Green Dhaka
SOQWMO.
52. Generation of Fund. The fund will be generated from ‘’ BRAC BANK’’ in
coordination with ‘’GREEN DHAKA’’ and DCC. As per the financial Analysis a
total amount of 5 core taka is estimated for initiation of the project and for its
sustainment. The loan is taken with a much reduced rate of 8% interest. The bank
agreed to provide the money with a consideration of directing their investment in
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this sector. As per the view of the Bank Management this is a test and trial for
them.
53. Initial Cost of the Project. The initial cost is outlined in respect of building
the infrastructure and associated other costs. The following are the cost in
general:
CHAPTER IV
RISK ANALYSIS
Purpose
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55. The risk management is a process by which the various aspects of the
project will be critically analyzed to find out what are the probable risks in the
process of implementing the EFHWMS. In the process the project goal
adjustments and results will be cross examine even the stakeholders will also be
critically analyzed to find out or identify probable risk which all may hamper on
create a barrier in implementing the project. After identifying the risks, those will
be assessed in terms of cause and effect of the risk to find out its impact in
regards to cost Scope, Schedule, and Quality. This assessment will help the
project team to find out ways to mitigate. It mitigation is not possible then fix the
contingency plans to go for alternative direction. There after proper tracking and
reporting will be organize to drive the project to desired direction.
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Risk Registry RAO
Risk Assessment RAO
Risk Response Identification RRO will all stakeholders
Risk Response Approved RRO and all members of the
committee
Risk Mitigation and Contingency RMO and all members of the
Planning committee
Risk Monitoring All members of the committee
Risk Reporting Project Manager
Risk Identification
58. Risk List. Considering all peripheral aspects and logical reasoning number
of risk identified which are given below:
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plan a dumping place
may not be available.
5. Opposition may come A good numbers of
from community who peoples are earning their
all are earning their lively hood by selling
lively hood from selling some of the useful items
usable house hold which can be found in the
waste. household waste. If they
do not want to give up
their business then they
may create difficulties in
implementing the project.
6. Local waste collectors Local waste collectors
may not cooperate with may be apprehensive
project term. about the outcome of the
project. They may think
that they will loose the job
if the project is
implemented.
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project. much profit then they
might decline.
9. Possibility of waste bin There are down to earth
can be lost poor people so to earn
little bit lively hood some
of them may steal the
waste bins to sell.
10. Environmental pollution There will be some bit of
by recycling and environmental pollution
composting farms. by these farms which
may create stakeholders
dissatisfaction.
59. Risk Statement. The risk statements containing all related information are
given in Annex H.
Risk Assessment
60. The risk assessment is done through a matrix to include all kind of factors,
cause and effect. Every factors or cause or effects were being assigned with
quantitative value. The highest number attaining risk shall need more attention.
The risks are assigned with relative effects. There after those risks are identified
with risk percentage in respect of probability. The matrix is given in Annex I.
Risk Response
61. For each identified risk a response must be identified. This the
responsibility of RRO of find out possible response of each risk. Certainly for
correct response best possible assessment is a must. The probability of risk
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occurring and the impact will be the basic for determine the degree of actions to
be taken. The RMC will be responsible to find out the viable options of avoidance,
Transference, Mitigation, Acceptance, Deferred. The responses are given as Risk
Response Matrix at Annex J.
Risk Mitigation
62. Risk mitigation involves two steps i.e. Firstly identifying the various
activities or steps to reduce the probability and or impact of an achieve risk,
Secondly creation of a contingency plan to deal with the risk should it occur.
Taking early steps to reduce the probability of an advance risk occurring may be
more effective and less costly than repairing the damage after a risk has
occurred. However, some risk mitigation option may simply be costly in time or
money to consider. Mitigation activities should be documented in a risk register
and reviewed on a regular basis. Those should include:
b. For each failure point documentation will be done to lot the event
that would indicate that the risk has reached to a critical condition.
c. For each failure point necessary alternative will be planned to fix the
problem.
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project team to think in advance as to a course of action if a risk event takes
place:
a. Identify the contingency plan tasks (or steps) that can be performed
to implement the mitigation strategy.
b Identify the necessary resources such as money, equipment and
labor.
c. Develop a contingency plan schedule. Since the date the plan will
be implemented is unknown, this schedule will be in the format of day 1,
day 2, day 3, etc., rather than containing specific start and end dates.
d. Define emergency notification and escalation procedures, if
appropriate.
e. Develop contingency plan training materials, if appropriate.
f. Review and update contingency plans if necessary.
g. Publish the plan(s) and distribute the plan(s) to management and
those directly
Involved in executing the plan(s).
64. Contingency may also be reflected in the project budget, as a line item to
cover unexpected expenses. The amount to budget for contingency may be
limited to just the high probability risks. This is normally determined by estimating
the cost if a risk occurs, and multiplying it by the probability. For example, assume
a risk is estimated to result in an additional cost of Tk 50,000, and the probability
of occurring is 80%. The amount that should be included in the budget for this one
item is Tk 40,000. Associated with a contingency plan, are start triggers and stop
triggers. A start trigger is an event that would activate the contingency plan, while
a stop trigger is the criteria to resume normal operations. Both should be
identified in the Risk Register.
65. As project activities are conducted and completed, risk factors and events
will be monitored to determine if in fact trigger events have occurred that would
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indicate the risk is now a reality. Based on trigger events that have been
documented during the risk analyses and mitigation processes, project managers
will have the authority to enact contingency plans as deemed appropriate. Day to
day risk mitigation activities will be enacted and directed by the project managers.
Large scale mitigation strategies will be initiated by the project management.
Contingency plans that once approved and initiated will added to the project work
plan and be tracked and reported along with all of the other project activities. Risk
management is an ongoing activity that will continue throughout the life of the
project. This process includes continued activities of risk identification, risk
assessment, planning for newly identified risks, monitoring trigger conditions and
contingency plans, and risk reporting on a regular basis. Project status reporting
contains a section on risk management, where new risks are presented along
with any status changes of existing risks. Some risk attributes, such as probability
and impact, could change during the life of a project and this should be reported
as well.
66. The individual identifying the risk will immediately notify the project
managers. The individual notified will assess the risk situation. If required, project
managers will identify a mitigating strategy, and assign resources as necessary.
The project manager will document the risk factor and the mitigating strategy.
CHAPTER V
Methodology
67. General. The municipal waste disposal system is at a turning point now,
because full-scale efforts are demanded to approach the goal of ‘the construction
of a waste-recycling society’. An attempt was made to evaluate municipal solid
waste management systems with easier indexes in the model area. This study
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includes two evaluation systems. One evaluation system is based on the analysis
of waste management costs. Different waste disposal systems can be easily
evaluated by comparing the waste disposal costs associated with them. However,
it seems risky to rate cities only by the results of an analysis of the waste disposal
cost data, since the municipalities build, acquire or expand facilities independently
from one another. The associated costs are not summed in a uniform way by all
municipalities and for other reasons. The other evaluation system is based on the
‘amenity and comfort ranking of cities’. Judgment by one evaluation index alone
for a waste disposal system seems risky since the data in that case are
insufficient for proper evaluation of a city. Hence, it is desirable to use two or more
indices representative of a future ideal system. The results of the study
demonstrated that the method of ‘amenity and comfort ranking of cities’ is better
than the method of comparing solid waste management costs.
Evaluation
70. Handover. The project will be handed over to the ‘’Sobhanbag Officer’s
Quarter Waste Management‘’ office (SOQWMO) which will be formed during the
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implementation of the project. When the project will be handed over the following
situation will prevail in the project:
a. All the equipment for the waste management is in place.
b. The SOQWMO is formed.
c. 2.5 crore money will be & with SOQWMO as ‘’current Assets’’.
d. The necessary working procedure or the memorandum of
understanding is signed with ‘’BRAC Bank’’, ‘’Green Dhaka’’ and
SWQWMO.
e. The welfare organization with the name Sobhanbag Ultra Poor
Society (SUPS) is already formed.
f. A total amount of Tk 1 crore is in the bank for the Pay/Allowance
and other logistic of the SOQWMO.
g. The working force is well trained for taking on the responsibility.
h. The user community is well conversant with the whole project.
j. The landfill location is prepared.
The handover will be done with proper media coverage i.e. print and electronic
media. In the ceremony all the stake holders will be invited including the mayor
and local MP.
71. Sustainability. Sustainability will be a intricate challenge while
running the project . in the context of EFWMS 'sustainable' can be described as:
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waste management. It is an aspect that should not be forgotten, as development
and planning are long term issues, which need time. Foreign donor agencies and
local decision-makers do not always realize that and take adhoc decisions or
propose short-term, visible projects. In countries with local and national elections
a change of decision-maker every four, five years may turn previous policies
upside down and may thwart attempts to arrive at sustainable, long term
solutions.
But for starting of the project implementation ‘’BRAC BANK’’ has agreed to
provide a loan of 5 crore taka with a moratorium period of 2 years. The pay back
of loan will take place after 2 years. After initial expenditure of 2.5 crore taka the
rest of the money will be used in a kind of investment so that the running cost of
the project is managed. The project will re-assess its financial standing after 5
years or reaching to the milestone of total assets 10 crore taka. The management
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will redefine their financial activities after attaining the said milestone. The
assessment committee will form as under;
CHAPTER VI
Conclusion
74. The nature of the impacts has left unanswered the traditional questions of
rapid urbanization and subsequent environmental pressures. With respect to
household waste management, two key characteristics may be distinguished.
The first is that, from urban planning to human settlements and dwellers’
awareness of environmental concerns, household waste management proceeds
longitudinally through a sequence of linked operations which form a chain. At the
same time, to be successful, it depends on the second characteristic, namely
strong latitudinal linkages to other services. The success of any one component
of the sector is thus strongly influenced by the performance of the other
components and the strength of the linkages between them. Furthermore,
different types of organization are involved in the process and some parts of the
chain are intrinsically more susceptible to private sector involvement (e.g. transfer
of waste to the disposal plant) than others (e.g. enacting environmental laws and
regulations, constructing access roads, defining and enforcing property rights,
registering dwellings, etc.). This paper has focused on the institutional aspects of
the restructuring impact with an emphasis on the management of urban
households’ solid and liquid wastes. From the analysis of the two sub-sectors, it is
clear that the institutional issue is not yet resolved and there is a lack of clear role
40
delineation between the provision and production aspects. Government is still
quite involved in the production component of the management system whereas it
should not be. At the same time, it is retreating from its mainly traditional roles of
regulating public services and coordinating the various actors and activities.
Nonetheless, the sub-sector analysis has provided some clues to understanding
the reforms and the ways in which they might be improved. A prominent feature in
liquid waste management is the private ownership of the treatment plant and the
ensuing right to regulation within the sub-sector. It is not helpful to blame
government given the urban demand for sewage disposal and people’s concerns
about open field disposal. Structural adjustment conditions have not given the
government much option other than to relinquish the provision side to a private
operator. One tentative solution would be to get all stakeholders together for a
transparent dialogue on the future of waste management in Dhaka. Regarding
solid wastes, giving awards to the cleanest areas of the city on an annual basis is
a sound government role but it should not obscure concerns about coordinating
the different actors and activities for the sake of economies of scale and
contiguity. However, although there might be general government failure to
coordinate within the whole household waste management sector, certain
interventions are strikingly different between the two sub-sectors. Unlike liquid
waste management, where centralization and monopoly seem to be the rule, the
government has encouraged decentralized decision-making for solid waste
management and this is illustrated by the alternative modes of management
found locally. However, the public sector remains in business, even though most
social sector bureaucracies in developing countries in the South are known to be
extremely inefficient. Unlike solid waste management where, following the
suppression of the civic tax, there has been some demand for direct payment,
urban dwellers already usually pay a flat fee for pumping and transferring liquid
wastes, indicating that liberalization could more easily be administered in this sub-
sector than in that of solid wastes. The overall debate draws attention to the need
for government to set priorities, including: greater attention to efficient
administration; the introduction of user charges based on the ability to pay;
effective service delivery to the poor; and a reduction in service leakages to the
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better-off. At the same time, steps should be taken to ensure a viable institutional
set-up for the development of private initiatives: removing long-standing
distortions or institutional bottlenecks; enacting formal regulations; upgrading laws
on property rights; ensuring information dissemination regarding household waste
management – and all with the involvement of all stakeholders. At the same time,
there should be concern that, in the short and medium term, the pursuit of
increased macro-economic efficiency does not aggravate environmental
problems. To ensure this, the piecemeal approach that has taken place after the
restructuring of the sector during the early 1990s must be turned around, with
greater coordination of the multitude of interventions. However, this will not occur
to any significant degree until the government sector is more successful in
meeting the specific needs – with respect to technological choice and supporting
services (e.g. urban planning, construction of roads, modern sewage sy stem,
laws, etc.) – of the various actors who are operating in complex, diverse and risky
environments, as it is the coherence of this group which constitutes the solution to
urban environmental issues.
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