Garbage Disposal in Pilgrim Centres

The Government has notified Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000 for collection and disposal of garbage in environmentally sustainable manner in all the municipal areas in the country. These Rules extend to those pilgrim centres located in all the municipal towns. The Rules provide for procedure for segregation and disposal of municipal solid waste, and municipal authorities are responsible for development of infrastructure for collection, segregation, transportation, processing and disposal of the waste within their jurisdictions. In respect of non-biodegradable waste i.e. primarily plastic waste, the Government has notified Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011. The Rules provide for conditions to be followed for manufacture, use, sale and distribution of plastic carry bags. Manufacture and use of plastic carry bags of thickness less than 40 micron is prohibited. Municipal authorities and respective State Governments are the responsible to implement the prescribed provisions. Certain States have restricted the use of non-biodegradable plastic bags in the pilgrimage centres and other historic/ tourist places. The Ministry has published Draft Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2015 inviting public comments and suggestions. These rules inter-alia provide for expanding the jurisdiction of applicability to entire country which will include all the pilgrim centres, increasing the minimum thickness of poly bags to 50 microns, bringing in the responsibilities of producers and generators both and strengthening the role of the local governments in effective management of plastic waste.