Parliament Question: Waste Segregation at Source

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 6366 TO BE ANSWERED ON APRIL 02, 2026 WASTE SEGREGATION AT SOURCE NO. 6366. MS. PRANITI SUSHILKUMAR SHINDE: Will the Minister of HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has taken note of the persistent problem of poor waste segregation at source and indiscriminate dumping of garbage on streets and public spaces in urban areas across the country and if so, the details thereof; (b) the status of implementation of mandatory source segregation of waste by households, commercial establishments and bulk waste generators under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 including compliance levels reported by Urban Local Bodies (ULBs); (c) whether adequate penalties and enforcement mechanisms are in place to deter littering and illegal disposal of waste in public spaces and if so, the details thereof; (d) the steps taken by the Government to fix individual and institutional responsibility for waste segregation at source including public awareness campaigns, door-to-door collection systems and capacity-building of ULBs; and (e) whether the Government proposes to strengthen monitoring, enforcement and penalty provisions to ensure cleaner cities and sustainable urban waste management and if so, the details thereof? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS (SHRI TOKHAN SAHU) (a) : To deal with issues related to management of Municipal Solid waste such as poor waste segregation at source and indiscriminate dumping of garbage on streets and public spaces in urban areas across the country, Government of India launched Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban 2.0 (SBM-U 2.0) on October 1, 2021 with a vision of achieving Garbage Free Status for all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs)/cities in the country through source segregation, door to door collection and scientific management of all fractions of waste. …2/--2- Under SBM-U 2.0, the provisions have been made to ensure large-scale awareness generation and citizen outreach to intensify the spirit of Jan Andolan and institutionalize sustainable swachh behaviour, drive behaviour change and ensure last-mile participation towards achieving the vision of Garbage Free Cities. Cities are being encouraged to undertake citizen-driven campaigns, involving plog runs, ward-level cleanliness drives, and community participation activities to enhance visible sanitation outcomes, Zero Waste Events and promote Zero Waste Colonies are being promoted wherein mandatory source segregation, on-site composting and material recovery are demonstrated to ensure litter-free public spaces. Further, Information, Education and Communication (IEC) campaigns such as Hara Geela, Sooka Neela are being intensified through ward-level drives, door- to-door advocacy by sanitation workers, Swachhata Doots, Self-Help Groups, and RWAs, particularly in low-compliance areas. (b) to (e): Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has notified the Solid Waste Management Rules on 8th April, 2016 under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for proper and scientific management of Solid Waste. As per the SWM Rules, 2016, it is the responsibility of the local authorities and Panchayats to facilitate construction, operation and maintenance of solid waste processing facilities and associated infrastructure, to arrange for door-to-door collection, create public awareness through information, education and communication campaign, educate the waste generators and to frame bye-laws related to levying of spot fine for persons who fail to comply with the provisions of these rules. To ensure enforcement SWM (Rules), 2016, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has issued various directions to all SPCBs/PCCs under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for management solid waste, legacy waste, etc. All the direction issued by CPCB under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 are available at https://cpcb.nic.in/cpcb-directions-5ep.php. MoEF&CC has notified the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026 on 27th January, 2026 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, which shall come into effect from 1 April 2026. The Rules introduce a strengthened framework for scientific solid waste management, incorporating principles of circular economy, Extended Bulk Waste Generator Responsibility (EBWGR), four-stream segregation at source, restriction on landfilling, and utilisation of Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF). *****