ABSTRACT
Globalisation discourse is a recurrent preoccupation of our time as is the reality and the ever-burgeoning impact of it. In this chapter, the authors examine the local impact of global influences with specific focus on waste production which is as old as human civilisation though the nature of waste has changed. The rapidly rising waste production in developing countries today is caused by three interrelated factors: high rates of population growth, rapid urbanisation, and a more sophisticated form of consumerism. The sources as well as composition of these wastes are varied. Projections show growing challenges of managing theses wastes for low income cities and countries. Patna, the capital city of Bihar (India), is an ideal example of this situation, as it has been declared by the State High Court as the ‘Garbage City’ of the country. Due to lack of industries, a large proportion of waste here is generated from households and growing businesses. The streets of Patna are strewn with garbage, which not only is a displeasing sight but also has several environmental effects. Patna is the most populated and urbanised district in Bihar. There is added dimension of large rural migration to the city and, then, growing migration from the city to other places in India and abroad. The migration brings in diverse consumption patterns and behavioural practices. The old norms and values as well as the sense of ownership by different communities of practices of their social spaces are lost while new patterns are facing difficulty in getting established. The horizontal and vertical changes have thrown challenges and waste production in Patna represents an example of growing glocal paradox that calls for integrated thinking for informed policy decisions.
