New Delhi: One often wonders as to where the debris or malba generated out of new constructions, reconstruction or demolition of illegal constructions ends up. It is generally assumed that the debris would land in the garbage or be used as backfill in an under-construction house/plot. In fact, about 30 thousand tonnes of debris is generated every day from cities across the country. Concrete steps have been taken by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) under the Swachh Bharat Mission- Urban to ensure safe disposal of C&D waste.
Under this, 15 thousand tonnes of debris are being disposed of every day at 400 ‘Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste Plants’. This has inspired citizen groups and other organization to contribute their bits to ensure environment-friendly disposal of C&D waste, something that Malba Project is doing in Delhi.
Malba Project is a Delhi-based startup facilitating a circular economy in the construction sector in India. They are primarily focussing on the prevention of illegal dumping of C&D waste by making C&D waste collection facilities easily accessible for small waste generators.
During the Swachhata Pakhwada- Swachhata Hi Seva 2023 campaign launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Municipal Corporation in Delhi held a malba removal drive with the help of Malba Project at Moti Bagh in Karol Bagh. Meanwhile, PM Modi has appealed the citizens to join a mega cleanliness drive called Ek Tareekh, Ek Ghanta, Ek Sath at 10 am on 1st October 2023 to sanitize high footfall public places and give the true tribute to Mahatama Gandhi on the eve of Gandhi Jayanti.
Malba Project’s tech-enabled system consists of a Malba Map that keeps track of C&D waste hotspots and infrastructure in the city which helps keep a tab on the amount of such a waste being generated, collection Point Management System helps municipal corporations streamline waste collection at a neighbourhood level, and digitises waste data in addition to setting up a MyMalba App, which is a cab aggregators-like app for residents to easily request C&D waste pickups from their sites. At the heart of Malba Project is creating a win-win partnership between informal waste haulers, urban local bodies, and recycling plants to provide an affordable, convenient waste pickup service for all waste generators, streamlining waste supply for recycling plants.
As an impact of the drive, the Malba Project team has held IEC activities and empowered the average citizen (often the waste generator) to manage their C&D waste and illegally dumped C&D waste in an easy, environment-friendly, and cost-effective manner. Also, a Malba Spotting Walk is organised with citizens who volunteer to spot illegally dumped malba and get it cleaned up. This is one of the best examples of managing C&D waste in effective manner, working on the principle of Waste to Wealth creating a circular economy.
