Dagana
What activities were carried out carry out to address waste management issues?
Monthly cleaning campaign was initiated throughout the dzongkhag including
Water dispensers were placed in government offices and steel glass bought
Mineral water is not used during any meeting organised in the dzongkhag administration
Special garden programme was initiated in all 21 schools. Special Garden is a garden designed fully by plastic waste, thereby, encouraging reuse of plastic waste. Seed money of few thousands of ngultrum was provided to schools to initiate the activity and monitoring were done by education sector and Environment Unit. The garden shall be expanded every year.
Hands on training on composting were provided to house owners of Daga Throm and subsequently, pits were dug and composting activity started
Waste Management Group was formed in Daga Throm
Banned use of plastic bags in Daga Throm and as an alternative, residents are encouraged to bring their own carry bags or shopkeepers would provide jute bags on payment.
Waste segregated at source.
Monitor towns and gewogs
Offence tokens distributed to all gewogs and fines imposed to defaulters.
Reusable and recyclable waste collected every Sunday by scrap dealers.
Which single activity do you feel shall serve as an example to be replicated in other dzongkhags?
The prohibition to use plastic carry bags and segregation of waste at source may be replicated.
What are your future plans and activities?
Dagana dzongkhag is planning to replicate plastic ban in all satellite and yenlagtowns. Strict monitoring shall be carried out and fines imposed to defaulters. The dzongkhag is also planning to implement composting ideas in all towns and gewogs. Awareness of Waste Prevention and Management Act
Gasa
What activities were carried out carry out to address waste management issues?
Monthly mass cleaning campaign.
Recently in partnership with Jigme Dorji National Park (JDNP), the dzongkhag came up with its own sort of waste management guideline called Waste Management Protocol. With this, community in the gewogs and town must manage their waste in their designated places. Monitoring and awareness is done frequently in these areas by the committee from Dzongkhag Administration and Local leaders.
This year we introduced a waste collection competition among the public of Gasa town and Khatoed gewog. Every Tuesday, volunteers can bring their trash (i.e PET bottles and plastic waste only) at our collection center and we keep a record of it. At the end of the year (December 17) cash prize will be awarded to top three collectors.
Which single activity do you feel shall serve as an example to be replicated in other dzongkhags?
Every Dzongkhag/thromde must have their own guideline for waste management similar to Waste Management Protocol of Gasa if they don’t have one.
What are your future plans and activities?
With the guideline in place, everyone must abide by the rules and regulation as per the guideline
Advocacy and awareness programme will be carried out continuously in the gewogs, town and schools.
Focus and educate public (esp. rural) on waste segregation at source.
Gelephu Thromde
What activities were carried out carry out to address waste management issues?
Observe World Environment Day
Display reused Plastic Tower
June 4 was observed as “Zero Plastic Day” in core town area
Volunteers marched with reused plastic caps and sensitised pedestrians and commuters
At two strategic points, commuters and vehicles plying to and fro were sensitised
Plantation of Royal Palms to combat plastic pollution
Youth enthusiasts showcased a football match with reused plastics
Display of flower pots made from 100 reused pet bottles
Plastic exhibition competition among four schools
Plastic ramp show competition amongst three Child Care Centre’s
About 25 youth volunteers visited 1,150 households and sensitised on plastic waste issues
Which single activity do you feel shall serve as an example to be replicated in other dzongkhags?
Participation of relevant stakeholders towards zero plastic was found imperative. Their engagement and roles in combating plastic pollution would somehow ease the present scenario of plastic pollution in urban spaces.
What are your future plans and activities?
To make the efforts sustainable, the agency plans to incorporate all key stakeholders towards common solitary goal “Beat Plastic Pollution”.
Editors note:
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. Kuensel will publish a series on the initiatives taken since June 4, 2017 – June 4, 2018.