Training of Trainers for SUNYA's local project coordinators
A training workshop on sustainable solid waste management was organized in Delhi, India from 28 August to 31 August 2012 for the local project coordinators of the project cities. The four day workshop was hosted by ICLEI South Asia. Participating cities*:
Shimla, India
Coimbatore, India
Matale, Sri Lanka
Hetauda, Nepal
Tansen, Nepal
Phuentsholing, Bhutan
*North Dhaka, Bangladesh was unable to attend
Inaugurating the workshop, Mr Farhad Suri, former mayor and present Leader of the Opposition of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, stated that rag pickers play an important role in the solid waste management of Delhi and are a big strength in managing waste. He urged the smaller cities to take timely steps to manage waste, and to look for possible opportunities to formalize and integrate the informal sector. Ms. Sarojini Kaul from the Delegation of the European Union in India expressed the hope of continuing engagement with the cities.
The technical sessions of the workshop were complemented by site visits in Delhi to showcase working examples of sustainable solid waste management. During the technical sessions the participants were trained on the principles of sustainable waste management and how to incorporate these into their city processes. Some of the topics covered included the 3R principle of waste management, involvement of the informal sectors, community involvement in solid waste management, and public private partnership for municipal bodies. Successful case studies from around the country were also showcased to the participants.
Site visits covered a spectrum of initiatives ranging from a small community level composting unit run by a Residence Welfare Association (RWA) to the Composting Plant and Waste to Energy plant of Municipal Corporation of Delhi at Okhla. Participants also got the opportunity to observe a unique initiative where a group of informal workers have come together to form a registered group with the government to collect e-waste.
Kick-off meeting and project launch in Kathmandu
January 30
The four day kick-off meeting of SUNYA was held in Gokarna Forest Resort in Kathmandu, Nepal from January 30 to February 2, 2012 involving partner cities and organisations.
The meeting was inaugurated by Kalanidhi Devkota, Executive Secretary of the Municpal Association of Nepal (MuAN) and was facilitated by Emani Kumar, Executive Director of ICLEI South Asia.
Bedoshruti Sadhukhan, Senior Manager-Sustainability of ICLEI SA ; Andrea Burzacchini, Director of Aiforia-Agency for Sustainability based in Freiburg, Germany presented an introduction and overview of SUNYA highlighting the partner cities and organizations involved. Burzacchini, the sub-contractor for the project, highlighted that SUNYA as a project directly addresses two Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), namely Goal 1: eradicating extreme poverty and hunger and Goal 7: ensuring environmental sustainability. The main objectives of the project are to promote the zero-waste concept as a sustainable waste management practice in urban areas of South Asia through the 3R principle.
The international partnership for this project is led by the Municipal Association of Nepal (MuAN). Pramod Aryal, Finance Officer of MuAN informed all partners that the overall budget for the project is 1541150 Euros for 3 years which is to be used for conducting project activities, events, dissemination of information, local and international travel, purchasing equipment and supplies, office costs and so on. Kumar clarified that partners needed to obey the ‘rule of the land’ while spending the project budget.
January 31
The second day of the kick-off meeting (January 31) discussed the reporting and communication guidelines. Here, Sadhukhan explained that the European Commission has particular reporting formats which need to be taken into consideration by all partners. The meeting unanimously decided that the format of reporting would be half-yearly focusing on main events and deliverables and their linkages with local actions. She also emphasized that regular internal communication through telephone, emails, internet chats etc. and external communication through DVDs, newsletters etc. between all partners is needed for the project to run smoothly.
The next session was on the assessment of the Solid Waste Management (SWM) status of partner cities, done on the basis of questionnaires circulated to all partners regarding the SWM situation in their cities. Soumya Chaturvedula, Senior Manager of Southern Centre ICLEI South Asia briefly presented the SWM scenario of all cities.
February 1
On the third day, participants were taken to Sisdol landfill site at Okharpauwa VDC of Nuwakot district as a part of their field visit. This is where approximately 500 tonnes of waste from Kathmandu and Lalitpur are disposed everday.
The Civil Engineer of the Environment Management Division of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Office and manager of the site, Deepak Ratna Kansakar briefed participants on the landfill and on the issues associated with it such as power cuts, a lack of maintenance, erratic rainfalls, the limited capacity of the site itself, etc.
February 2
The final day of the meeting involved collecting feedback and a list of expectations from participants. Representatives from each city and organisation noted down their comments - suggestions/ recommendations were discussed, and were the basis of improved planning for the future of SUNYA.
The four day kick-off meeting of SUNYA was held in Gokarna Forest Resort in Kathmandu, Nepal from January 30 to February 2, 2012 involving partner cities and organisations.
The meeting was inaugurated by Kalanidhi Devkota, Executive Secretary of the Municpal Association of Nepal (MuAN) and was facilitated by Emani Kumar, Executive Director of ICLEI South Asia.
Bedoshruti Sadhukhan, Senior Manager-Sustainability of ICLEI SA ; Andrea Burzacchini, Director of Aiforia-Agency for Sustainability based in Freiburg, Germany presented an introduction and overview of SUNYA highlighting the partner cities and organizations involved. Burzacchini, the sub-contractor for the project, highlighted that SUNYA as a project directly addresses two Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), namely Goal 1: eradicating extreme poverty and hunger and Goal 7: ensuring environmental sustainability. The main objectives of the project are to promote the zero-waste concept as a sustainable waste management practice in urban areas of South Asia through the 3R principle.
The international partnership for this project is led by the Municipal Association of Nepal (MuAN). Pramod Aryal, Finance Officer of MuAN informed all partners that the overall budget for the project is 1541150 Euros for 3 years which is to be used for conducting project activities, events, dissemination of information, local and international travel, purchasing equipment and supplies, office costs and so on. Kumar clarified that partners needed to obey the ‘rule of the land’ while spending the project budget.
January 31
The second day of the kick-off meeting (January 31) discussed the reporting and communication guidelines. Here, Sadhukhan explained that the European Commission has particular reporting formats which need to be taken into consideration by all partners. The meeting unanimously decided that the format of reporting would be half-yearly focusing on main events and deliverables and their linkages with local actions. She also emphasized that regular internal communication through telephone, emails, internet chats etc. and external communication through DVDs, newsletters etc. between all partners is needed for the project to run smoothly.
The next session was on the assessment of the Solid Waste Management (SWM) status of partner cities, done on the basis of questionnaires circulated to all partners regarding the SWM situation in their cities. Soumya Chaturvedula, Senior Manager of Southern Centre ICLEI South Asia briefly presented the SWM scenario of all cities.
February 1
On the third day, participants were taken to Sisdol landfill site at Okharpauwa VDC of Nuwakot district as a part of their field visit. This is where approximately 500 tonnes of waste from Kathmandu and Lalitpur are disposed everday.
The Civil Engineer of the Environment Management Division of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Office and manager of the site, Deepak Ratna Kansakar briefed participants on the landfill and on the issues associated with it such as power cuts, a lack of maintenance, erratic rainfalls, the limited capacity of the site itself, etc.
February 2
The final day of the meeting involved collecting feedback and a list of expectations from participants. Representatives from each city and organisation noted down their comments - suggestions/ recommendations were discussed, and were the basis of improved planning for the future of SUNYA.
