NEW DELHI: With the Centre on Tuesday issuing new Solid Waste Management Rules, citizens can now expect to pay for garbage generated by them as municipal bodies have been empowered to levy user fees for solid waste management and spot fines for littering.
The rules, under the Environment Pollution Act will apply to all urban local bodies, census towns, notified industrial townships, areas under the control of Indian Railways, airports, airbases, ports and harbours, defense establishments, special economic zones, state and central government organisations, places of pilgrimage and of religious & historical importance. The Environment Ministry has revised the Solid Waste Management Rules after 16 years. The issue of collection and disposal of sanitary waste such as diapers, sanitary pads and other disposal items have been addressed and pouches or wrappers shall be provided in the packets of sanitary products for the disposal of each napkin or diaper.
Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said that the responsibility of waste generators had been introduced to segregate waste into three categories — wet, dry and hazardous waste. Around 17,000 municipal towns will come under the ambit of the new rules.
“Waste generators will have to pay User Fees to the waste collector and a Spot Fine for littering and non-segregation, the quantum of which will be decided by the local bodies,” he said, adding that the government was keen on integrating ragpickers from the informal sector into the formal sector.