Prime Minister Narendra Modi Acknowledges The Role Of Waste Management In Development, Asks People To Reduce, Reuse And Recycle

New Delhi: Sustainable development of mankind is not possible without following the three golden Rs of waste management, namely reduce, reuse and recycle. This was Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message to participants in the Eighth Regional 3R Forum in Asia and the Pacific, being held from April 9 to 12 at Indore. The forum will see waste management experts from India and abroad discuss how waste management patterns have changed globally and the growing importance of international cooperation in waste management. Addressing participants of the forum, the Prime Minister said that development was only possible when waste was managed properly.

All stakeholders – producers, consumers and the State alike – must adhere to this golden principle which can contribute significantly in solving the twin challenges of waste management as well as sustainable development, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Addressing the participants of the forum, the Prime Minister on April 8 said that all stakeholders of waste, such as producers, consumers as well as respective states should adhere to the concept of reducing waste, reusing as much as possible and recycling waste. Out of nearly 15,000 tonnes of plastic waste generated in India, more than 40 per cent remains unrecycled, contributing to the persisting problem of plastic pollution. Encouraging people to recycle more, the Prime Minister said these golden rules can help India stand up to the challenge of waste.

Launched in 2009 in Tokyo, the eighth edition of the 3R Forum will be held this year in Indore, India’s cleanest city as per the Swachh Survekshan rankings of 2017. Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri and Tadahiko Ito, Minister for Environment, Japan were among the chief guests who inaugurated the forum. Mayors from more than 40 cities across the world and 100 cities in India are scheduled to participate in the forum.

The Prime Minister’s address was a very inspirational one and reflected our primary aim for arranging this forum. Waste is an international problem and has to be tackled with international cooperation. We are hopeful that sustainable solutions on waste management, especially for developing countries will emerge out of this forum, said Dr. K.D. Bharadwaj, one of the coordinators of the forum.

The relationship between the public and private sector has been a long discussed topic among waste management experts in India. The transition of waste to wealth will become possible only with due investment in research and development by both private and public sectors. The forum will see much needed discussions on private public partnerships on waste management and how waste could be used to generate wealth and employment in financially weaker sections in developing economies.

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