M Goutham Reddy, Executive Director, Ramky Group
In Waste Management we have seen some large projects like MCD (Delhi), GHMC (Hyderabad) and COC (ChennÂai) have taken positive steps towards privatisation of MuniciÂpal Waste Management and looÂkÂing to improve the quaÂlity of waste management. A reasonaÂble amount of planning toÂwards their costing and budgeting has started.
New technology not forthcoming: However, what didn't go well is that till date, we haven't yet seen any significant success in Waste-to-Energy which is what will determine the future of waste management in India. Further, no positive direction from the government has been seen in support for compost, the organic manure essential to compete with fertilizer.
In waste management quality improvements have been controllable and privatisation has also been good and controllable, however, technology improvement has not seen any progress and has remained uncontrollable.
In urban water, it is sad to see that no positive direction towards privatisation is taking place and no nodal agency is appointed to support these initiatives. While many projects are happening on EPC, the solutions are old and not in the right direction. The water segment should be completely offered on PPP, where its strengths are proven.
Programme, not project, needed: JNNURM's budgets are insignificantly small and cannot be adequate for reforms that are required in the sector. JNNURM should encourage an organisation like NHAI and run a programme similar to the National Highways Development Programme (NHDP) to revamp the overÂall situation. While I don't expect a reformed JNNURM, I look forward to it as that would be the only way right solution can come.
Focus on waste management, sewerage and water-should be JNNURM's main focus, along with providing a proper direction to ULBs. Demonstration can be a great method to do this, by building examples in a couple of municipalities. These examples will both inspire and showcase.
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