• Delhi’s Waste Management Crisis: The Supreme Court highlighted the city’s daily accumulation of 3,800 tonnes of untreated solid waste, stressing this violates citizens’ right to a pollution-free environment.
• Current Challenges:
• Over 45% of Delhi’s municipal solid waste is dumped in landfills, leading to environmental degradation and health risks.
• Legacy waste, accumulated over decades, poses a significant challenge for remediation efforts.
• Lack of Segregation and Sustainable Practices:
• The city fails to enforce waste segregation at the source, hindering recovery, reuse, and recycling.
• There is inadequate integration of waste-pickers and waste-dealers into the formal system. Collaboration between state governments, self-help groups (SHGs), and other relevant players is essential.
• Issues with Waste-to-Energy (WTE) Plant:
• 2,000 tonnes of mixed waste are incinerated daily at the WTE plant in Delhi’s Sukhdev Vihar area.
• The plant faces scrutiny due to its environmental impact, location in a densely populated residential zone, disregard for the Delhi Master Plan, 2021, and the absence of a nearby landfill. Residents have raised concerns about emissions of PM2.5 and dioxins, prompting demands for the plant’s relocation.
• Fragmented Management:
• Waste management responsibilities are divided among various ministries. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) handles urban sanitation and cleanliness, while the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change oversees guidelines on plastic waste, construction and demolition (C&D) waste, and electronic waste (e-waste). This division results in a lack of cohesive strategy and hampers effective coordination.
• Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Urban):
• The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Urban), managed by MoHUA, aims to create cleaner cities but faces significant challenges due to the fragmented nature of waste management oversight. The initiative has focused on urban sanitation and cleanliness but has not comprehensively addressed issues like e-waste and construction waste.
• Need for a Unified Approach:
• A holistic and integrated strategy is crucial, requiring consolidation of efforts across ministries to create a unified framework for waste management.
• Collaboration with industry stakeholders and local communities is necessary to develop innovative solutions and implement best practices. Partnerships for advanced technological solutions and standardized operating procedures for efficient waste management should be scaled up and supported by robust policy frameworks.
• Addressing E-Waste:
• E-waste poses significant environmental and health risks. The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Urban) initiative, managed by MoHUA, does not comprehensively cover e-waste. A coordinated approach with clear strategies and regulatory measures is urgently needed.
• Call to Action:
• India’s waste crisis demands a concerted effort from all levels of government, private sector players, and civil society. By integrating efforts across ministries, fostering collaborations, and embracing technological advancements, India can move towards a sustainable and circular waste economy. Unified efforts and cohesive strategies are essential to enforce regulations that prioritize environmental sustainability and public health.
SRIRAM’s
