Team Environment gears up to reach out to masses

Mehdipatnam: Team Environment, an initiative of Team NGOs, has geared up to reach out to masses to encourage them to segregate dry and wet waste from the household garbage before disposing them off.

Armed with details like market value of different materials (plastic and metals) which are marked as dry waste, the Team has decided to guide maximum number of households in their reach to benefit themselves, by selling out in the markets (scrap dealers). Besides this, it would be generating awareness about the wet waste which if scientifically processed could be turned into a compost and manure for crops.

"As the environmental concerns are growing and even the authorities have launched awareness campaign. But unfortunately the staff is less equipped with information to reach people on ground level. Hence we have decided to launch this campaign, while informing people about the benefits they could draw from both wet as well as dry. This would be streamlined in the coming days," said Team NGOs chairman Ilyas Shamsi.

He said that even though GHMC has distributed two bins amongst the households, the intention of the authorities to make denizens adopt the new idea has failed to take off till now.

Hence it was high time that NGOs came forward to help the city clean by impressing upon people the benefits of waste segregation. "It remains a social cause, but public in general does not pay heed unless they are encouraged to draw benefits for themselves. Suppose plastic bags or metal or wooden items are sold to a nearby scrap shop it can fetch a minimum of Rs 150 or 200 which can help the household pay cable bill or someone from the family can recharge their mobile," explains Shamsi.

As part of this initiative, a workshop with the theme 'Solution to Pollution' on the subject titled 'Waste to Wealth' was organised in Tolichowki on Sunday, where about 15 to 20 volunteers were trained on the subject. These volunteers will approach people to explain about the benefits of segregating the waste and practical method to disposing-off.

The workshop witnessed practical training by explaining various items about its nature, if they come under dry or wet category. They were trained by Ramesh Satyam, Environmentalist and Md Khaleel Ahmed, convener, Team Environment.