Multi- Stakeholder Consultation on “Effective Solid Waste Management for Zero Waste Islands”

Sri Vijaya Puram, Feb 05, 2025:In a significant step towards improving solid waste management in the islands, a multi- stakeholder consultation on ‘Effective Solid Waste Management for Zero Waste Islands” was successfully conducted on Feb. 5 ,2025 at Lemon Tree Hotel, Lamba Line, Sri Vijaya Puram. The consultation was organized by the ANET – Dakshin Foundation team in collaboration with the Department of Rural Development and with active support from the Department of Environment and Forest.

The consultation brought together diverse stakeholders in a single platform was attended by over 50 participants and included critical inputs from Mr. Sandeep Behera, Deputy Conservator of Forest, South Andaman, Ms. Sapna Priya (Director, Department of Rural Development), Mr. Bijoy Kumar Das (SNO, RD), Ms. Lalita Tigga (BDO, Ferrargunj), Ms. Gurjeet Kaur (BDO, Prothrapur), Mr. Mohammed Yunus (BDO, Nancowry), scientists from ANPCC, Manager IP&T, Forest Range Officers, representatives from SVPMC, technical experts from DBRAIT, ITI & Pondicherry University, Private Waste Dealers NHC Enterprise & Island Waste Recyclers, PRI members, Panchayat secretaries and Sanitation Supervisors from Wandoor, Guptapara, Humfrygunj, Mannarghat, Beodnabad, Collinpur, Brindaban, Chouldhari, Shorepoint, and civil society members.

The consultation session commenced with a presentation on ‘Waste Management in the Islands and Priority Challenges’ followed by brainstorming sessions on four important themes- ‘Strengthening equipment management capacity’, ‘Safeguarding ANI’s fragile environment & heritage’, ‘Innovative solutions for glass, sanitary and wet waste management’, and ‘Achieving total SWM coverage in GPs of ANI’. The members of the meeting were divided into groups, collaboratively deliberated on these issues and came up with actionable plans and assigned stakeholders against each action.

The first multi-stakeholder consultation on improving SWM was conducted by Dakshin Foundation in June 2024. The meeting on 5th February 2025 built on the previous consultation, reinforcing collaboration and advancing strategies, efforts towards sustainable waste management. The meeting served as a crucial platform for identifying gaps in the existing SWM framework and discussing the way forward to the unique waste management challenges of the islands.