Annex 4: Examples of Good Practices in DRR -Environment Linkages
Title of the Good practice/case
study
Fostering Disaster Resilience through Eco-communities:
Case of ALM in Mumbai, India
Which key area/questions the
example contributes to
Area 5
DRR -Environment Linkages
Abstract (3-5 lines)
ALM - Advanced Locality Management is a completely
volunteer movement and has its origin in the proliferation
of diseases due to filthy surroundings in certain residential
areas of Mumbai. ALM as ‘municipal agency-neighborhood
group partnership’ has helped people learn caring the areas
beyond own housing premises and work together for
locality problems. Today, about 2 million people joined
through 800 ALMs for over 8 years exhibit sustainability of
the movement that prevents approximately 20 to 25 tons of
garbage per day from reaching the dump yards. These ‘ecocommunity’ approaches transcend across developmental
disciplines and significantly contribute towards reduction of
environmental and hazard risk.
Context
What was the problem?
Deficiency in waste management by government controlled
municipal agency has led to proliferation of diseases due to
filthy surroundings in some residential areas of Mumbai.
Some concerned citizens have voluntarily formed a ‘Street
Committee’ to clean up their nearby areas involving local
community including women and children in 1996. This has
set an example as people started cooperating in segregation
of the household waste, maintaining cleanliness in the
vicinity and composting of organic waste.
How the problem was addressed?
What was done to address the problem?
This unique volunteer initiative which was started in few
streets, later accepted to be replicated at the city level in
the form of ‘Advanced Locality Management (ALM)’ by
MCGM. Today, there are about 800 ALM groups covering a
population of about 2 million are functioning in the city. This
is an ongoing initiative further adopted in the MCGM
Charter in 2006 to scaled up as Local Area Citizens Group
Partnership-2006.
Who was involved and what role did they play?
ALM is a entirely a volunteer programme in which MCGM
(Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai) has provided
institutional backing. ALM framework and a way for citizens
and the MCGM to work together on locality problems. An
ALM covers a neighborhood or street, normally about 1000
households. ALM is registered with the local municipal Ward
Office, which appoints a Nodal Officer to attend to citizen
complaints. ALM is a system providing single window access
to most civic services. The citizen group to be recognized as
an ALM begins to segregate domestic garbage into wet and
dry as a first step. However, problems addressed through
ALMs may relate to garbage clearance, composting,
drainage, water supply, beautification, encroachment, road
excavation, pothole filling, road and pavement leveling,
surfacing, stray animals, pest control etc.
What are the lessons learnt?
Success stories from other areas have set example to rectify
the minor issues in some cases. Community based disaster
risk reduction initiatives always depends on such established
community owned institutions. Hence organizing mock-drills
for various disaster scenarios, conducting training and skill
development in search and rescue, temporary shelter,
mobilizing local resources and volunteering with other relief
agencies have proved to immensely helpful in Mumbai flood
in 2005.
What could have been done differently and why?
N/A
Results
What was the result of this approach/intervention?
It was evident from the study that ALM groups are
significantly contributing towards segregation of waste at
the household level, and hence, recyclable waste (20% of
total waste produced) is directly been picked by identified
rag pickers. These rag pickers are the local poor and can
earn livelihood with dignity through ALMs. Also, at the
neighborhood level itself, about 55% of the organic/biodegradable waste is been composted to convert into organic
manure, which is utilized for local gardening. In addition,
construction and demolition waste is directed to low lying
landfilling areas for landfill purpose and thus reduce burden
to dumping sites. Thus, there is a massive reduction in total
waste reaching waste disposal sites and contribute in
reducing the burden to already overstressed municipal
services. With very active advocacy and consultation among
ALM groups and municipal agency, transparency and
accountability is also reflected in the whole process.
Harmonizing the local government-ALM relations to smooth
functioning of the various activities is crucial in many cases.
However, success stories from other areas have set example
to rectify the minor issues in some cases. Community based
disaster risk reduction initiatives always depends on such
established community owned institutions. Hence
organizing mock-drills for various disaster scenarios,
conducting training and skill development in search and
rescue, temporary shelter, mobilizing local resources and
volunteering with other relief agencies have proved to
immensely helpful in Mumbai flood in 2005, which was
among the heaviest flood in last 100 years.
Measuring success
Was the success/impact measured?
Yes. As mentioned earlier, it was evident from this study
that ALM groups are significantly contributing towards
segregation of waste at the household level, and hence,
recyclable waste (20% of total waste produced) is directly
been picked by identified rag pickers. These rag pickers are
the local poor and can earn livelihood with dignity through
ALMs. Also, at the neighborhood level itself, about 55% of
the organic/bio-degradable waste is been composted to
convert into organic manure, which is utilized for local
gardening
Potential for replication
Can this initiative be replicated? Explain how or why not?
This practice can be easily replicated in democratic political
settings where local problems and issues are dealt at
municipal level in a decentralized manner. The benefit of
this project have greatly benefited in improving community
based waste management. These efforts were very
contextual in reducing flood risk in these localities. Further,
collective community action has generated greater impact
during historical flooding in city in 2005 by helping relief
agencies and supporting rescue teams. Building up and
proliferating urban community institutions is crucial and
considered very difficult compared to rural setting.
However, local government support has buttressed and
catalyze towards multiplicity of the efforts. Hence, these
efforts can be replicated with certain local adjustment in
different context as well.
Contact
Dr. Akhilesh Surjan
Associate Professor, Kyoto University
surjan.akhilesh.5m@kyoto-u.ac.jp