Date: 20/03/2023

Relevance: GS-3: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

Key Phrases: suo motu, National Green Tribunal, Solid Waste Management, Swaccha Survekshan, Swachhata Hi Sewa Campaign, Promotion of Waste to Energy.

Context:

• The Principal Bench of the National Green Tribunal has imposed an environmental compensation of ₹100 crores on Kochi Corporation for its continuing neglect of duties, resulting in the crisis at its dump site in Brahmapuram following the major fire that occurred recently.

Key Highlights:

• The Bench issued the orders after it took suo motu notice of The Hindu report titled “Kochi chokes as fire at waste dump still rages.
• Solid waste management is a critical challenge faced by Indian cities, as urbanization and consumption patterns lead to a growing volume and complexity of waste.
• The inadequate and inefficient management of solid waste has numerous adverse impacts on public health, environment, and economy.
• It is crucial to address this issue comprehensively and sustainably, by identifying and overcoming the challenges and implementing effective solutions.

What is Solid Waste Management?

• Solid waste management is the process of collecting, treating, disposing, and managing solid waste in a manner that is environmentally sound, safe, and efficient.
• Solid waste refers to any garbage, refuse, sludge, or discarded material resulting from human activities, including household, commercial, industrial, and construction waste.
• The goal of solid waste management is to reduce the amount of waste generated, as well as to minimize the adverse environmental and public health impacts of waste disposal.
• The various steps involved in solid waste management include collection, transportation, treatment, and disposal.

Policy and Legal Framework for SWM in India:

• The Government of India (GOI) enacted various acts, rules, and regulations regarding SWM.
• Amongst which, Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000 is the most vital legislation.
• New SWM Rules, 2016 replaced these old rules. The new rules now apply beyond municipal areas and included urban agglomerations, census towns, notified industrial townships, areas under the control of Indian Railways, airports, special economic zones, places of pilgrimage, religious and historical importance, and state and central government organizations in their ambit.
• According to the 12th Schedule of the Constitution of India, urban local bodies (ULBs) are responsible for keeping cities and towns clean.

Recent Government Initiatives:

1. Swachha Bharat Mission – Urban (SBM-U): With the enactment of new rules, it started door-to-door collection, segregation at source, etc.
2. Swaccha Survekshan: An annual survey of cleanliness, hygiene and sanitation in cities and towns across India. It launched as a part of the SBM-U under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). It gives star ratings to garbage-free cities and towns on several factors.
3. Swachhata Hi Sewa Campaign: for ensuring cleanliness through the various stakeholders’ engagement in the “Jan Andolan” (National Movement).
4. Compost Banao, Compost Apnao Campaign: The aim is to encourage people to convert their kitchen waste into compost to be used as fertilizer and to reduce the amount of waste getting to landfill sites.
5. Collection and disposal of Sanitary Waste under new rules: The standing committee on urban development revealed that 2,000 tonnes of sanitary waste is generated in India a day.
6. Promotion of Waste to Energy: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) launched Program on Energy from Urban, Industrial, Agricultural waste/residues and Municipal Solid Waste to promote setting up of Waste-to-Energy projects and to provide central financial assistance.

The challenges faced by Indian cities in managing their waste are:

• Lack of awareness and civic responsibility:
  • Many citizens are unaware of the importance of waste segregation, disposal, and recycling, and do not participate in waste management activities. Moreover, there is a lack of civic responsibility and accountability, as people often litter or dump waste on the streets, drains, or open spaces.
• Inadequate infrastructure and technology:
  • Many cities lack proper facilities and equipment for collection, transportation, processing, and disposal of waste.
  • The existing infrastructure and technology are often outdated, inefficient, or not optimized for the local context, resulting in poor service quality and high costs.
• Limited financial resources and capacity:
  • Many urban local bodies face budget constraints and limited technical expertise and human resources, which hinder their ability to invest in and manage solid waste management projects effectively.
  • Moreover, the central and state governments often do not provide adequate support, funding, or policy guidance for waste management.
• Legal and regulatory gaps and enforcement:
  • The solid waste management rules and regulations in India are complex, overlapping, and often not enforced properly.
  • The lack of clear roles and responsibilities, monitoring, and enforcement mechanisms, as well as corruption and political interference, hamper the implementation and compliance of waste management laws.

Some potential solutions are:

• Enhancing public awareness and participation:
  • Creating awareness campaigns, providing education and incentives for waste segregation and recycling, involving citizens in waste management activities through partnerships and citizen groups, and holding them accountable for littering and dumping.
• Investing in infrastructure and technology:
  • Upgrading and expanding the collection and transportation system, establishing decentralized processing facilities, adopting innovative and sustainable technologies such as bioreactors, pyrolysis, and waste-to-energy, and using GIS and ICT tools for better planning and monitoring.
• Mobilizing financial and technical resources:
  • Leveraging public-private partnerships, crowdfunding, CSR funds, and grants from national and international agencies for capital and operational expenses, building local capacity and expertise through training and knowledge sharing, and developing a sustainable financing model for waste management.
• Strengthening legal and regulatory frameworks and enforcement:
  • Simplifying and consolidating the solid waste management laws, clarifying roles and responsibilities, establishing a single-window clearance system, empowering the local bodies and community-based organizations, creating a robust monitoring and evaluation system, and imposing strict penalties for non-compliance.

Conclusion:

• Solid waste management is a critical and complex issue that requires a multi-dimensional and collaborative approach to overcome the challenges and achieve sustainable outcomes.
• By implementing the suggested solutions and promoting a culture of responsible waste management, Indian cities can improve the quality of life, protect the environment, and foster economic growth.

Source: The Hindu BL

Mains Question:

Q. The recent verdict by the National Green Tribunal imposing a ₹100 crore penalty on Kochi Corporation for its neglect of duties resulting in the Brahmapuram dump site crisis has highlighted the issue of solid waste management in India. Discuss the challenges faced by Indian cities in managing their waste, and suggest potential solutions for this problem. (Words 250).