Shillong, Nov 29: A seminar on “Solid Waste Management: Importance and Entrepreneurial Potential” will be held at Shillong College on Thursday.
It may be mentioned that Shillong College has also ran a two-month certificate course on “Solid Waste Management with Entrepreneurial Development Inputs” funded under Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan Scheme for equity assurance.
The course was inaugurated on the August 18 and a number of participants were enrolled.
However a total of 39 participants who have successfully completed the course would to be felicitated during the one-day seminar.
Meghalaya Urban Affairs director, E. Kharmalki will be the chief quest while Shillong Municipal Board chief executive officer, B. S. Sohliya is the guest of honour.
In this course, participants were given an informative insight upon the concept, assessment, sources and characterisation of solid waste. Information about proper collection, collection systems, frequency, and transportation of waste was deliberated to the students. Matters relating to the proper management of hazardous wastes and bio medical waste and also their scientific disposal were also taught to the participants. Study materials and lecture on laws and rules which are important in the field of waste management were also part of the course.
Important aspects of solid waste management and how it can be viewed as a resource for entrepreneurial ventures was impressed upon the participants. Effective waste management processes such as source reduction, segregation, sorting, composting, vermi composting, and disposal methods were part of the curriculum. Reusing and recyling techniques which prevent materials from entering the waste stream are a great source for entrepreneurial ideas and a number of such techniques were shared with the participants.
Another topic that was taught under this course was energy recovery from waste which included pyrolysis, gasification, anaerobic digestion etc.
The course encourages the participants to have an entrepreneurial mindset where they use different topics being taught to them as a repository for entrepreneurial creativity. To ensure that the participants are equipped with knowledge to change their ideas into businesses, entrepreneurial development inputs were also taught so that they have a proper understanding on how to build a business.
Two participants from the course, Mebaaihun Sunabi and Alvareena P. Kahit were selected as resource persons for a Solid Waste Awareness Programme conducted by the NCC unit of Shillong College for NCC cadets of the college.
Field trips to the Solid Waste Landfill site at Mawiong were undertaken where training in Bokashi composting, vertical composting and also observational study of the Sanitary Land Fill Site etc. were given to the participants. Training for using waste as a resource was done at Bethany Society Shillong and another training on recycling and reusing of paper was also conducted at Bethany Society Shillong.
