Waste management needs to be a priority

The goal over a five to seven-year period should be to have all sewage treated and all solid waste segregated, collected and treated according to prescribed standards

India has the dubious distinction of being fourth from the bottom in a recent global ranking on environment performance. Waste management has been a key weakness. Around 80 per cent of municipal waste gets collected but only about 25 per cent of this gets treated. About 70 per cent of the sewage generated is not treated and flows through drains. 

The quantity of chemicals, plastics, metals and other alloys in consumption keep increasing. Industrial activity generates non-biodegradable waste. With rainfall, chemicals in untreated waste flow into drains contaminating soils, water bodies and ground water. Many also get into the air through