New waste management rules to be unveiled soon: Javadekar

Union Minister for Environment Prakash Javadekar on Friday said the government will soon unveil waste management rules for the country, and 66 Indian cities will have air quality monitors to track pollution levels.

"The new waste management rules, which will align ultimately with 'Clean India' campaign, as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are ready, and will be announced anytime soon," Javadekar told media persons on the sidelines of his closed-door meeting with the ministry officials.

The waste management rules will include solid waste, construction and demolition waste, electronic waste, plastic waste, biomedical waste and hazardous waste, the minister said.

"To track pollution levels, 66 Indian cities, which have population of over 10 lakh will be installed with comprehensive air quality index monitors," he added.

Javadekar, who also holds charge of the forests and climate change, said after the recently concluded 21st Conference of the Parties (CoP-21) in Paris, there was much work which needed to be done.

"Many things which have been agreed in Paris need to be given a real shape. To achieve that, India will be proactively engaging the world and will take necessary steps," he said.

The brainstorming meeting of the ministry officials has decided to review the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) policy, and would review it after deliberation, the minister said.

He added that the ministry would issue directions under the Environment Protection Act, to make the state governments ensure functioning of all sewage treatment plants, which aren't functioning in many states.