The Ecologist: Most trains in India lack sanitation facilities such as rubbish bins and it is commonly accepted that all garbage is disposed outside, onto the rails. One of the young workers who serves food in the train asked:"That is just how it is done. If we throw it outside someone will eventually pick it up or burn the rubbish. I have seen people do it. What do we do with it if not?"
Indian railways consist of 64,000 route km which handles 20 million passengers a day, which is almost 2% of the Indian population, according to a 2012 Indian government panel report.
Some journeys may take one or several days non-stop, in which every passenger generates waste from at least three meals and one plastic bottle daily.
Train toilets are also a matter of great concern. In these open toilets human waste falls directly onto the tracks deteriorating them. As the Report points out:
"Apart from the issue of hygiene, this has several serious safety implications arising out of corrosion of rails and related hardware."
In the year 2000 the Indian government set up plans to change train toilets and improve sanitation, as well as put in place various laws in relation to the development of solid waste management systems, landfills, recollection and other solid waste management measures.
But the results of these laws and regulations are not easily perceived. An example of this is the ban on plastic bags which was introduced in India in 2011.
In Delhi the violation of the ban is punishable with up to five years of imprisonment or with a fine of up to 100,000 rupees (1,200 Euros). Despite this, plastic bags are seen everywhere.
"We have to continue doing business and with no other alternative in place, distributing plastic bags to our clients is and will continue to be part of it", says the owner of a clothes shop in Delhi. "Either way, who will come and check?"
Kolkata street with pile of rubbish. Photo: Ben Sutherland / Creative Commons 2.0.
Modern India
India is the second most populated country in the world after China, according to United Nation's reports, 17.4% of the world's population lives there. It is also close to becoming one of the world powers as part of the 'emerging four' or BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China).
But as modernity clings its jaws over it's territory, with advances in industry and technology, implementing effective waste management systems seems an Herculean task.
High income countries generate far more waste than those with low income. In 1999 India genenerated 0.46 kg of waste a day, whereas Hong Kong generated 5.07 kg, according to a World Bank report.
Other studies indicate that on average, for every 1000 rupees increase in income, solid waste generation increases by one kg per month.
The type of waste is also different, becoming more toxic and non-biodegradable as industrialisation grows, with electronic waste and plastic being the main problems. A small scale example of how India is not following up to it's economic growth can be seem if we compare urban India and deep rural India.
