PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun
Residents in several parts of Dehradun have raised concerns that their efforts to segregate household waste into wet and dry categories are being undermined during door-to-door collection, as sanitation workers are allegedly mixing the waste in the garbage collection vehicles.
Residents stated that despite following the law on segregation of waste at the source, the system appears to break down at the collection stage, discouraging public participation in the initiative. A resident near Clock Tower, Harivansh Chettri said that people are trying to cooperate with authorities and follow segregation rules, but their efforts lose meaning when the waste is dumped together in collection vehicles. “Our efforts are in vain and if this continues, people will go back to mixing wet and dry waste in the same bin,” he said.
Echoing similar concerns, Kanika Chauhan from Nehrugram said that many residents are complying with the rules, but improper handling during collection is discouraging public participation. “Many households have adopted segregation practices after awareness campaigns, yet the results are not visible on the ground,” she added.
Residents also pointed out that although door-to-door collection is taking place regularly in many areas, garbage heaps continue to be visible along roadsides, in parking areas and on vacant plots in most parts of the city. The persistence of such dumping spots reflects gaps in monitoring and waste handling systems. Responding to the concerns, Dehradun mayor Saurabh Thapliyal said that the civic body plans to launch ward-wise campaigns to strengthen waste segregation at the collection stage. He said that dedicated vehicles and sanitation staff would be deployed in selected wards to ensure the separate collection of wet and dry waste. He also stated that he plans to visit wards personally to encourage residents to participate in segregation efforts, noting that improving implementation at the local level is crucial to making the system effective throughout the city.
