Solid waste generation, management not received due attention from Govt: Parl panel

A parliamentary panel has rapped the government for not giving due attention to the solid waste generation and management despite its "potentially devastating ramifications".

The panel also said that waste collection efficiency in the country is also "very low" as it ranges from 70-90 per cent in metros and below 50 per cent in small cities.

Standing Committee on Urban Development presented its report 'Solid waste management (SWM) including hazardous waste, medical waste and e-waste' in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

"After carefully examining the prevailing scenario and on the basis of documents and evidence placed before them, the Committee is constrained to conclude that in spite of its potentially devastating ramifications, solid waste generation and its management has not received due attention from the government," it stated.

The committee stated that it was "highly disconcerting" to note that door to door collection has reached only up to 82 per cent and source segregation has not moved beyond 48 per cent in the country.

"With as high as 22-28 per cent of waste remaining untreated/unprocessed in the country and hardly any funds available for SWM with ULBs (urban local bodies), the committee recommends that the entire issue of SWM needs to be looked into immediately in a comprehensive manner at the highest level by a multi-disciplinary mechanism consisting of all stake holders," it added.