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The proportion of waste produced by an urban local body municipality attributable to a bulk waste generator (BWG) should be around 30-40 per cent, according to the guidelines set forth by the Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organisation in 2017.
Gurugram, colloquially known as the ‘millennium city’, produces an estimated 1,200 tonnes of municipal solid waste per day (TPD). Of this volume, around 1,000 TPD is directed to the Bandhwari landfill owing to the city’s inadequate waste processing capabilities. Despite the existence of a sole concessionaire agreement for solid waste management for a 22-year tenure, involving the private agency, this situation continues to endure.
BWGs are defined by the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2016 as structures occupied by the following entities: Local bodies, public sector undertakings or private companies, central government departments or undertakings, state government departments or undertakings, hospitals, nursing homes, schools, colleges, universities and other educational institutions, hostels, hotels, commercial establishments, markets, places of worship, stadia and sports complexes.
The average waste generation rate of these establishments must surpass 100 kilogramme per day, including all streams of waste. The Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon, however, has reclassified BWGs as any source that produces 50 kg or more of solid waste per day, in connection to the power and authority vested in urban local bodies by the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act to make decisions and implement amendments in accordance with local needs.
Conforming to the SWM Rules, 2016 and the corresponding municipal bye-laws in SWM, all resident welfare and market associations, gated communities and institutions exceeding 5,000 square metres in area, as well as hotels and restaurants are obligated to comply with the following regulations:
The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has partnered with MCG to provide technical support through research, advocacy and capacity building. During this endeavour, CSE conducted a deep-dive study on waste management practices by BWGs and recommended a series of reforms in the existing ecosystem that includes notification of the draft by law with mandatory provisions for BWG compliances, capacity building of urban local body officials, extensive re-survey of BWGs, re-empanelment of private agencies to support BWGs, rejuvenation and restructuring of the ‘Citizens’ Monitoring Committee' (CMC) to make waste management more inclusive.
During the engagement, MCG notified its draft bye-law for public comments and notify it officially for enforcement soon after. The re-survey helped MCG to arrive at a comprehensive database of 1,681 BWGs, of which, 400 have been notified for compliance and the rest are in the process. In its effort to strengthen the support ecosystem, MCG empanelled 13 private agencies to engage with the BWGs to manage their wet waste, dry waste including domestic hazardous waste and electrical and electronic waste, respectively. It has also revived the CMC as per CSE recommendation and a constant lobbying from the citizens. The city has also renamed it ‘Citizens’ Supervisory Committee’ (CSC). The committee has played a critical role to revise the draft bye laws and do the later proceedings for its notification and other necessary overhauls pertaining to the BWGs.
The most recent and one of the most important steps taken by MCG following the CSE recommendations and support from CSC is related to management of BWGs by introducing a comprehensive management information system for enrolment, geo-tagging and concurrent monitoring of BWGs through the digital platform.
The system requires detailed information from BWGs during registration, categorising them based on types. BWGs can then geo-tag themselves using a built-in map feature.
Additionally, the system prompts BWGs to specify their level of waste segregation, processing and disposal methods, accompanied by photos or other evidence. This self-reported data aids the city in monitoring BWGs for compliance and conducting regular checks. The portal allows BWGs to submit reports on waste generation and processing weekly, monthly and quarterly. Gurugram is continuously enhancing the system to include more features for BWGs.
Image: Screenshots from the portal showing self-registration and geo-tagging formats
Most Indian cities are struggling to manage their increasing solid waste due to rapid urbanisation and population growth. They face significant challenges in securing adequate funding and human resources to address this pressing challenge. However, a portal for BWG generators has the potential to act as a stringent monitoring tool if widely promoted and fully implemented.
Although the city has taken considerable measures by issuing public notice, newspaper notifications to inform people about this provision and ever since its launch, according to the available government record, more than 100 BWGs have already registered. Still it should not be optional for BWGs to enrol. Rather, mandatory registration and periodic reporting should be enforced by the city, with penalties stipulated in municipal bye laws for non-compliance. Beneficiaries of the portal should receive support and training to maximise its benefits.
Newspaper notification & public notice issued on by MCG for BWGs to register in the portal. Source: Author
The initiative by MCG is truly unique and has the potential to inspire other Indian cities to adopt similar measures, benefiting from its citizen-driven online system. In the face of limited waste management services, this initiative offers a ray of hope for both the city and its residents.