PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The increased tourist footfall in Mussoorie has pushed the daily waste generation significantly above normal levels, with the hill station recording a peak collection of 42.52 tonnes on October 1. Between September 20 and October 2, the town collected 505.335 tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW), averaging nearly 38.87 tonnes a day. According to the municipality data, waste collection remained above 34 tonnes on all 13 days during the period. The highest collection was recorded on October 1 at 42.52 tonnes, followed by 41.09 tonnes on September 23. The lowest collection was 34.975 tonnes on September 25. An official said that waste generation during the period increased by around 20-30 per cent over the existing average.
Mussoorie normally generates around 25-26 tonnes of waste a day during the off-season, while the daily average during the current period has been around 37 tonnes. During peak tourist periods, generation can rise to nearly 46 tonnes. The increase has mainly been attributed to the sudden rise in tourist footfall during weekends and holidays. The influx has increased waste from hotels, restaurants, markets and tourist spots, putting additional pressure on the municipal waste collection and disposal system.
The Mussoorie municipality project engineer Arafat Khan said that the number of tourists had increased suddenly in the past few days, resulting in a rise in waste generation. Officials have been directed to ensure adequate arrangements, while the waste collection agency has been instructed to ensure there is no negligence in collection. The increased waste load is also creating challenges on the ground, with garbage accumulating at some places in residential and public areas. Timely collection from tourist spots and busy market areas remains a challenge amid the heavy movement of visitors.
The municipality has increased vehicle trips to manage the additional waste load. Separate collection rounds are being conducted for hotels and commercial establishments, with vehicles making additional trips after 9 PM, particularly on Mall Road, where daytime movement becomes difficult due to tourist congestion. Some vehicles are also kept on standby and deployed whenever the waste load increases. Commercial and hotel waste is collected in the morning as well as at night, with vehicles operating till around 11 PM or midnight when required. The collected waste is taken to the IDS MRF centre for processing. The centre has a capacity of around 28 tonnes. Its operating hours are extended from the usual 5-6 PM to around 8-9 PM when the waste load is high.
Meanwhile, the municipality is implementing four-way waste segregation and increasing awareness activities in tourist areas. Teams will be deployed at locations including Picture Palace and Jhula Ghar to encourage visitors to use dustbins and avoid littering. The board is also approaching bulk waste generators producing more than 100 kilogrammes of waste per day and asking them to manage their waste as per applicable rules. Additional vehicles will also be deployed to handle the increased waste load. With Mussoorie continuing to receive tourists despite the current off-season, the rising waste generation has raised concerns over the town’s preparedness for the upcoming peak tourist season. Khan said that we have to maintain additional collection capacity to prevent accumulation and ensure timely processing of the increased waste.
