A tale of two waste management systems from a Himalayan town

An uncooperative Nagar Palika in Almora has ensured that good work done by the community in managing waste comes to naught, even as it works well seven kilometers away

When Asha D’Souza relocated first from Geneva to Orcha and then to Kasar Devi, near Almora in the Kumaon hills, she was thrilled by the sheer beauty, the pure air and the pristine surroundings. Her house faces the magnificent Nanda Devi range. It is at a spot where there is no obstruction of her view, everything one needs to live comfortably is within walking distance and there are interesting people all around to meet.

The only thing that rankled and appalled her was the growing and unchecked menace of garbage she saw all around her. Almora – the closest big