Solid waste management policy yet to be framed

The SWM 2016 rules specify that the Secretary-in-Charge of Urban Development in states shall prepare a state policy and solid waste management strategy in consultation with stakeholders not later than one year from the notification of these rules. In addition, the constitution of a state level advisory body with every department in-charge of local bodies of the state government, which should be done within six months, has not been formed. 

Dharmesh Shah, a city-based waste policy expert, said, “The rules were revised after 16 years and clearly divided the responsibility across various departments. However, the urban development body responsible for this has not yet started the process. For instance, only after they formulate a state level policy can the Corporation get involved in the creation of a solid waste management plan. The State Level Advisory Body, which is a very important feature, has not been constituted within the deadline.” The state’s lack of interest in creating effective waste management policy is evident in the fact that the earlier rules were not implemented, said environmentalist Nityanand Jayaraman. 

“The Municipal Solid Waste Rules 2000 has not been implemented for 16 years, until it was revised in April. But the revision of the rules is a good start as it has many positive factors and provides accountability. However, the state has one crisis after another, which takes the government a while to recover. In this flux, most important things like waste management gets left out. The civil society has to push the government to enforce these rules,” he said. 

Former IAS Officer Devasagayam pointed out that corruption and lack of political will is a key factor in the state’s lack of solid waste management plan. “Almost 95% of solid waste generated can be effectively recycled. But this is not being enforced by the authorities because there’s money in waste. It is easy to create a decentralised waste management system, to recycle the waste generated. Instead, contracts are given out to transport unsegregated solid waste from the city to the dump yards, which are filled beyond capacity. Until corruption exists, these rules will never be implemented,” said the former official. State government officials were unavailable for a comment.