National problems, local solutions

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Written by Kuldeep Dantewadia | Published:January 25, 2016 12:10 am
india, india pollution, pollution in india, india pollution control, pollution control india, Kuldeep Dantewadia, editorials Despite having lost some sheen, the idea of one-size-fits-all continues to fester. (File/Reuters)

Pollution levels in Delhi have reached epic proportions, lakes in Bangalore are foaming and catching fire, and garbage is piling along our streets in ever-increasing quantities. All this morbid news comes with a silver lining: A marked increase in civil society?s awareness about local issues, especially in urban areas. NGOs, social enterprises and start-ups have begun to deliver local solutions to local problems. The government of India with its Swachh Bharat mission has also joined in, bringing all its firepower. This infectious enthusiasm, however, faces several pitfalls that we must avoid if we are to achieve even moderate success.The first pitfall is that of scale. Despite having lost some sheen, the idea of one-size-fits-all continues to fester. Not enough attention is paid to the possibility that it may fail if we try to take it out of the environment in which it was born. Also, trained model thinking often ignores corruption and oligopolies that prevent the most optimal solution from being implemented. For example, consider Bangalore and its ever-growing problem of solid waste management. A solution that has been proposed is segregation at source ? a model that has worked reasonably well in the West. However, while some people may segregate their waste by choice, a few may only do so when there is punitive action, while others may not do it even if there?s the threat of a hefty fine or a jail term. It?s an open secret that segregation at source is disadvantageous to the garbage mafia in Bangalore (that rakes its dues from the government based on the weight of garbage in trucks) and, therefore, no amount of waste-profiling or optimal disposal route-mapping will complete the loop and result in tangible outcomes. The solution is not to do away with model thinking but instead operate carefully, under the perpetual assumption that scaling will not work unless proven otherwise. - See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/national-problems-local-solutions/#sthash.mBQUMU83.dpuf
- See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/national-problems-local-solutions/#sthash.mBQUMU83.dpuf
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