HYDERABAD: Hyderabad needs effective solid waste management plan engaging young people to creating awareness campaign to change behavior of the citizens. The citizen’s engagement is very much needed to address environmental sustainability through waste management.
This was shared by the environmental, development, health experts in the first day of the four days’ workshop on the environmental sustainability and human health engagement of youth in waste management held by Sindh Community Foundation in collaboration with AstraZeneca under its Step-Up health program. Dr Eshwar Das psychiatrist, Dr Safar Koraee Environmental Expert form to the Institute of Environment Engineering, University of Mehran Jamahoro, Professor Ismael Kumbhar of Sindh Agriculture University, Javed Soz civil society environmental and climate activist were among the speakers on various topics on the inaugural day of workshop.
Javed Soz of Sindh Community Foundation was the view that health of the people and also to improve environmental health in different areas of Hyderabad Poor waste management has multiplied air pollution affecting human and environmental health badly, urban hubs are affected badly. Therefore, youth led activism and advocacy to improve environmental health for mental health of young people is needed. He briefed to the participation about the project Youth Actions for Improving Human & Environmental Health and Waste management, that project will engage young people to lead awareness campaigns and advocate waste management at community and local authority level in their respective areas to improve physical and mental health.
Dr Eshwar Das took the session of the impact of poor waste management practices on the mental health and discussed that better environment leave positive impact on mental health and poor waste management and Environmental conditions leads towards various mental health issues including irritation, stress, depression and also leads to difficulty in breathing. He said that already mental health issues rarely addressed properly, but environmental degradation creates more problems to general and mental health.
Dr Safar Koraee said that increase in population and poor waste management practices and lack of coverage of collection of solid waste management by the municipal services are the key factors of the deteriorating environment in Hyderabad city. He said the Hyderabad city generate 2000 tons solid waste management on daily basis while only 20% of the waste collection is done by the municipal services, while 80% open waste threatens the environment and biodiversity. The excessive use of plastic is the major causes have been found the urban floods in many areas of city as the plastic bags choked the draining lines and water remained in streets and in the houses of the people around 10 days which impacted badly the Human lives. He said that engineered landfill sites need to be established. He said the waste to energy interventions need to initiate by the government and private sectors.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023