(a) whether the Government is aware that health related problems are increasing in the country due to the pollution caused by the indiscriminate dumping of waste products/trash along the roads;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the action plan formulated by the Government for proper disposal of waste products/trash in the country?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)
(a) and (b) In order to ensure proper management of solid waste and prevent indiscriminate dumping of waste in the country, the Ministry has notified the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules 2016. Such waste if not managed in an environmentally sound manner as prescribed by the SWM Rules 2016 may cause adverse effect on human health and the environment. As per the report of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) on implementation of SWMRules 2016, it is estimated that approximately 95% of the urban wards in the country are now practicing “Door to door collection” and 72% of the urban wards are practicing “Source segregation”.Once segregated and sorted, the waste is processed in waste treatment plants thereby reducing the quantum of waste going to engineered landfills. Out of the total waste generation of approximately 1.5 lakh tonne/day, processing of waste has increased from 18% in 2015-16 to 58% in October, 2019.Further, there is no conclusive evidence to establish a direct correlation betweenincreasing health related problems and dumping of waste.
(c) In order to ensure environmentally sound management of various types of waste in the country, the Government in 2016 has comprehensively revised all waste management rules and has notified six waste management rules for the management of Solid waste, Plastic waste, Construction and Demolition waste, e-waste, Bio-medical waste, Hazardous and Other waste.
The SWM Rules 2016, apart from prescribing norms for proper disposal of waste also direct that no waste generator shall throw, burn or bury the solid waste generated by him/her, on streets, in open public spaces outside his/her premises or in the drain or in the water bodies. Further, the Rules mandate the waste generators to segregate the waste at source and hand over the segregated waste to the authorised waste pickers or waste collectors. The Rules further mandate the urban local bodies to frame their own Bye-laws incorporating the provisions of SWM Rules, 2016 to ensure implementation of the Rules.
The Government is also supporting the efforts of State Governments in establishing infrastructure related to proper implementation of solid waste management in the States. MoHUA is implementing the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) project under which various projects have been taken up. Under this programme, during the mission period from2014-15 to 2019-20, an allocation of Rs. 7424.24 Cr has been made for solid waste management projects.
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