Wangduephodrang

What activities were carried out to address waste management issues?

Wangdue Phodrang Dzongkhag is faced with similar waste management related issues. In the past years to address the issue, dzongkhag administration has carried out several activities. Some of the significant activity areas:

Starting of monthly cleaning to the chiwog level. The activity is carried out by the public and residents on a voluntary basis. This is in addition to an improved waste management practices within the household or residential areas.

Dzongkhag administration has also carried out several rounds of waste management related awareness programs to the public and the stakeholders. The program mainly highlighted on their responsibilities and available potential funding programs to help address some critical areas on waste management

Posting of signage in strategic areas and places is one the activities which has helped deter the public or residents from littering. It has helped enforcing agencies to do monitoring and inspections

Activating of schools clubs is another activity that has really contributed in waste management programs in the dzongkhag. Community Greening Club and Waste Management Group are some of the school groups which have really helped in minimizing the waste and creating the awareness among the students.

The most significant waste management activity is collaboration with ECO Waste Solution, a private company example who contributed in dzongkhags waste management programs. The company was provided with an area within Bajo Municipal area for its operation. The company mainly carried out waste segregation at source to recycling and reuse. The company in collaboration with dzongkhag administration has carried out research to determine if waste segregation and commercializing waste is feasible. The study has provided a lot of information on waste generation and related issues in the dzongkhag which has in fact helped the dzongkhag to plan activities accordingly.

Which single activity do you think shall serve as an example to be replicated in other Dzongkhags?

Study on waste generation and composition conducted in collaboration with ECO Waste Solution is the most significant activity. It has provided a lot of waste related information which has helped plan and intervene waste management issues accordingly. Dzongkhag administration has now provided the company with enough space within the dzongkhag landfill site at Nahi where the company will be establishing a multi-million Waste Recovery Center. The center will be operational within next one year and it will also collect waste not only from Bajo Municipality, but also from all the gewogs and nearby dzongkhag, Punakha. Once operational, the program is expected to have only 10 percent of waste generated going to the landfill.

What are your future plans and activities?

The dzongkhag will continue to provide all necessary support to the ECO Waste and other similar parties, if any along with continuous awareness programs in the communities. In addition, dzongkhag administration has plans to improve coordination among the different stakeholders (implementing agencies) and come up with a reliable waste management strategy plan. The strategy plan is hoped to solve lots of isolated efforts, activity duplication, complacency and ‘who is responsible’ attitude of implementing agencies.

Zhemgang

What activities were carried out to address waste management issues?

Institution of cleaning campaign in Dzongkhag- Twice a month for Communities/Gewogs & Dzongkhag by respective organizations.

Installation of waste collection facility at all strategic points and increase of waste collection frequencies in major towns under Dzongkhag.

Initiation of waste segregation centres with youth and Private partnership approach.

Which single activity do you think shall serve as an example to be replicated in other Dzongkhags?

Cleaning campaign priority institution with frequencies of twice a month, which has reduced waste management issues towards clean Zhemgang motto.

What are your future plans and activities?

Construction and relocation of landfills.

Youth/Private partnership approach for waste management initiatives.

Priority on 4RS approach.

Note – Trashiyangtse and Phuentsholing Thromde did not attend the Annual DEO Conference

As part of environment day celebration this year, a competition was held among dzongkhags and thromdes to encourage waste management initiatives for environment protection. The dzongkhags and thromdes were judged on activities carried out over the last one year. The National Environment Commission Secretariat organised the event among the dzongkhags and thromdes. This is the last of the series on the initiatives taken since June 4, 2017 – June 4, 2018.