Solid Waste Management through Open and Distance Learning: Findings from a Need Assessment Study

Abstract

Inappropriate Solid Waste Management (SWM), insufficient data, ineffective institutional arrangement, poor financial health of urban local bodies and apathy of citizens are primarily responsible for poor SWM services in India. As per the new Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, the municipal authorities are required to promote the idea of composting, waste segregation and waste management through different educative campaigns. It is recommended that there is a strong need to focus on making solid waste management a people’s movement by taking the issues, concerns and management of solid waste to citizens and at grass-root level. Looking into this backdrop, a need assessment study was conducted to explore the need for an educational
programme in distance learning mode on solid waste management.