Drema Choikey Kee
In recent years, Arunachal Pradesh has witnessed the construction of a large number of roads and buildings along with an increasing population. The total population of the state as per the 2011 Census was 13.83 lakhs with a decadal growth rate of 26.21 percent. The population presently stands at 17.49 lakhs, approximately. Arunachal Pradesh spreads over 83,743 sq. km geographical area and has a low population density of only 17 people per sq. km as per the 2011 Census. However, recent growth in population and the increasing urbanisation in the state have brought Arunahchal face to face with new environmental challenges that need to be checked in the early stages.
One such environmental challenge, a direct consequence of increasing urbanisation, is waste accumulation. As a student of environmental studies, I cannot help but observe our seeming oblivion towards the increasing problem of waste management in Arunachal Pradesh which will lead us to our doom if we don’t address it right away. Waste material can be defined as any material that we no longer need and it includes both biodegradable and non-biodegradable materials. Biodegradable waste such as kitchen, restaurant and hotel trash can be composted to make manure. Non-biodegradable waste such as plastic, glass, metal and other junk can be recycled. However, none of these practices are being followed in most parts of the state and both these types of waste are simply dumped everywhere.
A prime example that comes to mind is the case of the Hollongi highway. Whenever I see the landscape beautifully changing while entering Itanagar city via the Hollongi check gate, I am mesmerised by this scenic beauty. However, this enthralment does not stay for long as I cross the unmanaged city landfill along the highway that awaits us to ruin the mood. Itanagar is the capital city of Arunachal Pradesh and is no doubt the most developed part of the state. It is certainly expected that Itanagar will generate a large amount of waste, but that does not mean that the waste should be left unmanaged or be simply dumped around.
A place like Lungla that currently stands nowhere near Itanagar in terms of population, seems to be following its footsteps when it comes to waste management. In 2019, I along with some volunteers had cleared up a large landfill that was situated on a slope next to a road near Muyo village in Lungla. We later segregated the waste and found that plastic bottles, as well as alcohol bottles, were forming a large part of the dump. The glass bottles could easily be recycled and the same can be done with plastic bottles, but those were simply dumped along the slope.
This has indeed prompted a survey for understanding how the locals managed their non-biodegradable waste. I was curious to know if dumping waste in this manner was the only practice followed. The survey findings were as anticipated. It was found that the non-biodegradable waste was either burnt or dumped in nearby nallahs or streams. I was disappointed when I saw the same practise not just in Lungla but in many other parts of the state. This is more concerning than it seems as dumping waste along slopes catalyses the process of landslides since the pollutants prevent plant growth and loosen the soil. Landslides are a common disaster in the hilly regions of Arunachal and results in considerable loss of life and property.
Arunachal Pradesh constitutes 26 major tribes and more than 100 sub-tribes. All tribes consider themselves as ‘children of nature’; all our authenticity and rituals indeed revolve around nature, which is why it is our culture that expects us to respect and take care of the environment. However, when it comes to waste management, why is it that our hypocritical attitude is succeeding in deceiving our tribal beliefs? I know that Arunachal Pradesh today has substantial forest cover which also helps in carbon sequestration and fighting climate change. However, this does not mean that we can simply burn our waste and create air pollution for ourselves.
Air pollution, especially from burning waste, has direct human health effects. Burning waste that comprises mainly plastic or polythene-based items releases toxins that cause respiratory problems and may also be carcinogenic – leading to cancer. Can we be cautious now since it is the health we are talking about? In such a situation can we continue to be ignorant and ruin our life, the lives of our children, and the future generations?
There are innumerable examples of the human health impacts and hazards of improper waste management. Delhi’s Ghazipur landfill is a classic example, it is a mountain of waste that has risen higher than the height of the Taj Mahal and could soon surpass the Qutab Minar. It weighs over 140 lakh tonnes and is spread on a land area of 70 acres. The landfill took only a few decades to be formed and reached such a great height. This very landfill has also caused the death of two and injury to five people by collapsing 50 tonnes of garbage!
The people of Arunachal are at an advantage since the state is in an early stage of development, and can therefore learn from these mistakes that other metropolitan cities of India have already committed during the process of urban growth. The question here is can we do something about this issue today or will we wait for the higher authorities to take note and act? I believe the sooner we start addressing this issue the better because this problem is only getting bigger by the day.
Drema Choikey Kee is a student of Environmental Studies at O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana.
With inputs from Dr. Govind Singh, Associate Professor, O.P. Jindal Global University.
