Strategic Action Plan - International Environmental Technology Centre

Chapter
8
8. Communicating Strategic
Action Plan and Building Capacities
Solid waste management is a municipal responsibility in nearly all developing countries. The institutions
that provide the service typically need to be restructured so that they are more accountable and
transparent to the residents and business establishments they serve. Organizational development support
would typically include improved job descriptions, training, operations rationalization, and reduction of
labor redundancy. The implementation of the plan is entirely dependent upon the effective
communication of the plan to all the stakeholders for communicating their responsibilities towards
improvement of the waste management services. The stakeholders getting aware about the action plan
will not be enough for actions/ strategies for to be implemented at the ground level. There should be
appropriate and specialized training for up gradation of technical knowhow as well as building certain
specific skillsets and competencies required for a particular sector.
8.1 Need for communicating the action plan
The Integrated Solid Waste management action plan will not be useful and successful if there is no
response and participation from the various stakeholders who are involved. The plan is made to improve
solid waste management in the city. All the quantitative and qualitative parameters are involved in the
improved waste management plan. There are various institutional, technical, social and financial factors
affecting success of the Integrated Solid Waste Management Action Plan. So communication of the
action plan, the suggestions and recommendations in the plan to and from the all the stakeholders
becomes an extremely important task. There are various ways in which action plan could reach the
masses. The ways of communication will vary according to the stakeholders. The means of
communication to industrial sectors would be different than the means of communication with the
citizens of the city.
8.2 Need for capacity Building
Only successful communication of the action plan to the involved stakeholders will not serve the purpose
of successful implementation of the plan. The stakeholders’ groups have to be trained in some specific
skills so that they could implement the action plan successfully. The training given is normally in a
compartmentalized manner and hence isolated. So the capacity building of the stakeholders’ group
becomes another important aspect in the implementation of the plan. The ISWM Action Plan therefore
includes a number of Schemes that are dedicated to develop capacities of key stakeholders and build a
cadre of professionals in the waste management sector in Pune.
8.3 Communication and Capacity Building
Communication is a task of getting specific information or ideas across the people not as learners but as a
target audience. While a communication campaign about environmental issues and actions can be
valuable to start to or a component of education and training, the process should not be inflated or
confused. Communication is generally a one way process than interactive. It is not an open ended process
Strategic Action Planning for Pune 205