ITC’s Community-Based Solid Waste
Management Strategy: A Case Study
of Shivalik Nagar, Haridwar District,
Uttarakhand
Akhilesh Kumar Yadav and Subhendu Dash
Abstract ITC’s solid waste management (SWM) interventions focus on
minimizing waste to landfills and processing waste close to the generator, in a financially sustainable manner. Whilst the company has models for large cities, mall
towns, rural catchments and temples, this paper focuses on its SWM model for small
towns which promotes management of both biodegradable and non-biodegradable
waste through a community-led waste management approach. IEC for source segregation and financial sustainability through a household levy, sale of compost and
recyclables is a key. Whilst the SWM projects operate in 13 districts of eight states,
the paper documents the experience and outcomes of the intervention in Shivalik
Nagar city of Haridwar district, Uttarakhand, India. Initiated in 2016, through ITC’s
Social Investments brand, Mission Sunehra Kal, it aims to develop a community-led
waste management model by promoting low-cost techniques like vermicomposting
and aerobic thermophilic composting along with decentralized bio-composters/home
composting which are well suited to local waste stream and socio-economic conditions. The project has also helped mainstream and provided livelihood opportunity
to marginalized waste collectors/rag pickers. The case study demonstrates a SWM
model with potential for scale and sustainability across small towns in India to deal
with the large challenge of waste management.
Keywords Decentralized composting · Waste to landfill · Mohalla Committee
(MC) · Community-led waste management and information · Education and
communication (IEC)
1 Introduction
Solid waste is considered to be one of the most serious environmental challenges confronting developing countries, including India. Typically, problematic areas in solid
waste management (SWM) inter alia include, (i) Inadequate service coverage and
A. K. Yadav (B) · S. Dash
Agri Business Division, ITC Limited, Hoshangabad Road, Misrod, Bhopal,
Madhya Pradesh, India
e-mail: akhilesh.yadav@itc.in
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
S. K. Ghosh (ed.), Solid Waste Policies and Strategies: Issues, Challenges
and Case Studies, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-1543-9_20
213
Management Strategy: A Case Study
of Shivalik Nagar, Haridwar District,
Uttarakhand
Akhilesh Kumar Yadav and Subhendu Dash
Abstract ITC’s solid waste management (SWM) interventions focus on
minimizing waste to landfills and processing waste close to the generator, in a financially sustainable manner. Whilst the company has models for large cities, mall
towns, rural catchments and temples, this paper focuses on its SWM model for small
towns which promotes management of both biodegradable and non-biodegradable
waste through a community-led waste management approach. IEC for source segregation and financial sustainability through a household levy, sale of compost and
recyclables is a key. Whilst the SWM projects operate in 13 districts of eight states,
the paper documents the experience and outcomes of the intervention in Shivalik
Nagar city of Haridwar district, Uttarakhand, India. Initiated in 2016, through ITC’s
Social Investments brand, Mission Sunehra Kal, it aims to develop a community-led
waste management model by promoting low-cost techniques like vermicomposting
and aerobic thermophilic composting along with decentralized bio-composters/home
composting which are well suited to local waste stream and socio-economic conditions. The project has also helped mainstream and provided livelihood opportunity
to marginalized waste collectors/rag pickers. The case study demonstrates a SWM
model with potential for scale and sustainability across small towns in India to deal
with the large challenge of waste management.
Keywords Decentralized composting · Waste to landfill · Mohalla Committee
(MC) · Community-led waste management and information · Education and
communication (IEC)
1 Introduction
Solid waste is considered to be one of the most serious environmental challenges confronting developing countries, including India. Typically, problematic areas in solid
waste management (SWM) inter alia include, (i) Inadequate service coverage and
A. K. Yadav (B) · S. Dash
Agri Business Division, ITC Limited, Hoshangabad Road, Misrod, Bhopal,
Madhya Pradesh, India
e-mail: akhilesh.yadav@itc.in
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
S. K. Ghosh (ed.), Solid Waste Policies and Strategies: Issues, Challenges
and Case Studies, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-1543-9_20
213