Waste Management

Next step on Union Carbide waste disposal depends on SC's orders: Official

The government authorities will wait for the Supreme Court's directions before proceeding with the plan to dispose of 337 tonnes of waste from Bhopal's Union Carbide factory at a waste disposal unit in Pithampur, a senior Madhya Pradesh government official said on Tuesday. On the intervening night of December 2 and 3, 1984, highly toxic methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas leaked from the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal. At least 5,479 people were killed and thousands were crippled. It is considered as one of the world's biggest industrial disasters. "The next hearing in the matter of disposal of Union Carbide waste is scheduled in the Supreme Court on February 27, and we will wait for what direction the court gives in this hearing," Indore Divisional Commissioner Deepak Singh told PTI. The administration's next step regarding the plan to dispose of Union Carbide's waste will depend on the instructions of the apex court, he said. The commissioner's statement came after the Supreme Court on

Govt to show Maha Kumbh's waste management practice at Asia-Pacific forum

India will showcase the best practice for waste management adopted during the Maha Kumbh at the 'Regional 3R and Circular Economy Forum in Asia and the Pacific' to be held in Jaipur, Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said Monday. At a press conference, he said 25 countries and 500 delegates will participate in the three-day event starting from March 3. The Maha Kumbh is the world's largest event and people are praising the best practices of waste management being implemented there, the Union minister said. The 45-day religious congregation, which began in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj on January 13, culminates on February 26. Over 60 crore people have taken a holy dip in the Triveni Sangam since it started, according to data from the Uttar Pradesh government. The Union minister said the religious congregation is being held on 4,000 hectares of land, an area large enough to accommodate a city. As many as 25,000 people have been deployed at the Maha Kumbh for waste .

MP HC allows 'trial run' of Union Carbide waste disposal at Pithampur

The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Tuesday allowed the state government to carry out a trial run of the disposal of 40-year-old chemical waste from the defunct Union Carbide factory in Bhopal in Pithampur area of Dhar district. The incineration at a disposal plant inside the industrial area of Pithampur will be carried out in three phases from February 27, Advocate General Prashant Singh told reporters here after a court hearing. The government on Tuesday filed a compliance report, sought by the high court in January, about the steps it had taken for creating public awareness about the waste disposal process, he said. Locals in Pithampur are fiercely opposed to the planned disposal, near their town, of the waste linked to the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy which killed more than 5,000 people. It has carried out an awareness campaign and now a trial run of the disposal should be allowed, the government requested the court. As per the HC order, the trial run will be carried out in three ...

Delhi sees warmest Republic Day in 8 years with maximum temp of 23.7 deg C

A small portion of waste from the Bhalswa landfill fell onto adjacent houses near the Sharadhanand Colony in Delhi's outer north district on Sunday, locals claimed but police said teams were checking "if any such incident took place". No emergency calls were made to the Delhi Fire Services or the Delhi Police regarding any rescue operations and no one suffered any injury, the police said. "We got to know that some political leader visited the site. We are checking videos on social media to check if any incident took place. There was no PCR call. Teams are checking the entire matter," a senior police officer said. Locals claimed the incident occurred around 11:30 am when waste from the landfill slid and fell onto nearby houses but no one suffered any injury. Upon hearing about the alleged incident, the Congress' Delhi chief Devender Yadav visited the site. "AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, who made a big issue of landfill mountains and accumulated waste before the MCD (Municipal ...

SC pulls up Maha govt for not allocating funds for solid waste management

Irked over non-implementation of rules, the Supreme Court on Friday pulled up the Maharashtra government for failing to allocate funds for solid waste treatment plants in the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation and said the state was duty-bound to protect the environment. A bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan expressed strong disapproval of Maharashtra's previous stand that there were no funds available for essential projects. It directed the state to submit a detailed affidavit specifying the time the funds would be released and the number of civic bodies in Maharashtra complying with the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. The affidavit would be filed by February 21. On January 15, the bench was dissatisfied over the stand of the Urban Development Department of Mumbai claiming they lacked funds for the plants and asked the principal secretary to appear through video-conferencing and explain the stand before it on January 24. "A very strange stand has been taken

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50 trainers prepared to dispel fears about Carbide waste disposal in Dhar

Authorities in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district on Monday started coaching 50 master trainers about 337 tonnes of Union Carbide factory waste brought to Pithampur for incineration before they set out to spread awareness that the waste is not hazardous. The state government has gone on the backfoot after the public outcry against waste disposal and two self-immolation bids in the Pithampur industrial area, which witnessed protests earlier this month. Talking to PTI, Dhar Collector Priyank Mishra said, "We are preparing 50-odd master trainers, including science teachers, professors and officials. They will be informed about the exact status of the waste before they reach out to people to dispel misinformation." On January 6, the principal bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court in Jabalpur granted the state government six weeks to act on the Union Carbide factory waste disposal as per the safety guidelines. The authorities had sought time to educate people and dispel their fear about was

Protest in Indore over Carbide waste disposal in neighbouring Dhar district

Various organisations on Thursday protested in Indore against the plan to dispose of 337 tonnes of Union Carbide factory waste at Pithampur in Dhar district, about 30 km from the city. The protesters claim that the move poses a threat to the health of the people living in the industrial town and the environment and will also harm the residents of Indore, Madhya Pradesh's financial capital, and its surrounding areas. The protesters gathered outside the Revenue Divisional Commissioner's office here. Protests have erupted at various places since the waste from the Bhopal-based Union Carbide factory, which triggered one of the world's worst industrial disasters, was transported to Pithampur last week for incineration. Our only demand is that the waste of the Union Carbide factory should not be burnt in Pithampur, said Ramswaroop Mantri, convener of farmer body United Kisan Morcha in the Malwa-Nimar region of western Madhya Pradesh. We are trying to raise awareness among the people thr

Bhopal gas tragedy waste: Site inspection clears missing container rumour

Senior officials on Sunday visited the unit in Pithampur in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district, where 337 tonnes of toxic waste linked to the Bhopal gas tragedy is set to be incinerated, for inspection after a rumour spread on social media that one of the containers carrying the waste had gone missing. Information was being spread through Whatsapp groups that one of the containers carrying the waste had gone missing from the premises, after which a group comprising residents and elected representatives visited the site and confirmed all containers are accounted for, said Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Pramod Singh Gurjar. People must not pay heed to such rumours, Gurjar said. Pithampur Bacaho Samiti convener Hemant Hirole said the delegation, of which he was a part, inspected the site and found all the containers were in place in sealed and unloaded condition. The hazardous waste had reached Ramky Enviro Company, where the incineration will take place, on Thursday. Local lawyer ...

Waste management co Blue Planet acquires NZ-based Smart Environmental Group

Smart is a market leader in New Zealand, serving municipal, commercial, and consumer segments

Waste management: SC flags total failure in enacting 2016 rules in Delhi

The Supreme Court has flagged the "complete failure" of agencies in implementing the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 in the national capital and directed the chief secretary of the Delhi government to call a meeting of all stakeholders to discuss the issue. The apex court observed it is a matter of immense importance that the 2016 Rules are implemented in their true letter and spirit in the capital city. "If we find that all other authorities do not come together and tell us the time-bound schedule for implementation of the 2016 Rules, the court may have to consider of passing harsh orders," a bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih said in its order passed on November 11. The bench said, "We direct the chief secretary of the Delhi Government to call a meeting of all the stakeholders, including the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, to discuss the issue of implementation of the 2016 Rules". It said all stakeholders must come together and file a common report before

Will process 3k tonne more solid waste per day in Delhi by 2026: MCD in SC

The Supreme Court was on Friday informed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), which said by 2026 it will exceed its capacity of processing 11,000 tonnes of solid waste generated daily in the national capital. A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih was informed by senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy, appearing for the MCD that in compliance of the court's order, the civic body was able to clear all the bottlenecks and had started the bidding process for hiring contractors for the management of municipal solid waste. "By 2026, we will not only be able to meet the new waste generated on a daily basis but also be ahead of it by 3,000 tonnes a day. We have started the tender process and in the next two weeks, we will be able to finalise the bids for the purpose," she submitted. Guruswamy further said that due to the July 26 order of the apex court, the MCD was able to get all necessary clearances and the work had now started. "The Delhi government has set the li

MCD commissioner now holds financial powers for waste management contracts

The Delhi government on Monday issued an order delegating the financial powers of the Standing Committee to MCD Commissioner Ashwani Kumar, allowing him to approve proposals requiring expenditures of Rs 5 crore and above for various municipal solid waste management contracts. A political slugfest erupted between the Aam Aadmi Party and the Lt Governor's office over the issue as both accused the other of delaying the passage of the order. The move comes amid a political deadlock between the ruling AAP and opposition BJP in the MCD over the constitution of the Standing Committee, the highest decision-making body of the civic body, which otherwise had the authority to approve contracts exceeding Rs 5 crore. The formation of the Standing Committee has been delayed for over 19 months and the matter is currently in the court. According to the order issued by the urban development department, the Delhi government has exercised its powers under Section 202(c) of the Delhi Municipal ...

Swachh Bharat campaign to focus on complete sanitation, waste management

With the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan marking its 10th anniversary, the government is now planning to expand its efforts, focusing not only on eliminating open defecation but also on more comprehensive sanitation and waste management strategies, a senior official has said. The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is a country-wide campaign initiated by the government in 2014 to eliminate open defecation and improve solid waste management and to create open defecation free villages. Asked about the road ahead, Vini Mahajan, Secretary, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, said they are now planning to expand its efforts. "Sanitation began as a journey to free the country from open defecation, recognising that this practice was a significant curse we needed to eliminate. While progress has been made, there is still an ongoing need to identify families who lack toilets and ensure they receive them. It's equally important to keep existing toilets functional," the official ...

Waste management critical issue across globe, says US Consul General

Consul General of the United States in Mumbai, Mike Hankey, has said that waste management was an important issue, not just for an urbanising Maharashtra, but for communities across India and around the world. He was speaking here on Thursday the sidelines of 'TechCamp Pune', an event focused on the theme of redesigning sustainable urban waste management. The US Consulate General, Mumbai, in partnership with the Symbiosis International University Centre for Waste Resource Management, ExploreiT and the Climate Reality Project held the 'TechCamp Pune', a release said. The event brought together US and international trainers and over 45 waste management professionals from Maharashtra, including technocrats, policymakers, industry leaders, researchers, entrepreneurs, and civil society leaders and other stakeholders. Participants worked together over four days to define pressing waste management challenges and develop practical solutions to address them. They explored how digital tools

Centre to provide 'one-time' financial support for waste recycling startups

Union Minister Bhupender Yadav said that his ministry has submitted guidelines for one-time financial aid to waste recycling start-ups in India, where municipal solid waste management is a big concern

427 dumping sites cleaned across India, 4,500 acres of land freed: Khattar

Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar said on Friday said out of 2,300 identified garbage dumping sites across India, 427 have been fully cleaned, freeing up 4,500 acres of land and asserted that the remaining locations would be cleaned in the next two years. The Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs of India, addressing media, said the nationwide garbage-free cities initiative began in 2021, with only 18 per cent of solid waste being processed at the time. Today, that figure has risen to 73 per cent. "We are currently processing 1.5 lakh tons of solid waste per day," he said, adding that the country has identified 22 crore metric tons of waste at 2,300 dump sites. Highlighting the country's progress towards creating garbage-free cities, Khattar noted that a significant portion of the cleaned land has been repurposed for development projects, including initiatives to generate electricity from waste. "Some of the projects on these lands are focused on waste-to-energy solutions," he ...

Antibiotic production waste fuelling drug-resistant bacteria, warns WHO

In a first, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued norms on managing waste during antibiotic production

CAG finds major irregularities in Jharkhand ULB's waste management projects

Major irregularities were detected in the performance audit of solid waste management in Jharkhand's urban local bodies (ULBs), according to the latest CAG report tabled in the assembly on Friday. Anomalies were found in planning and institutional mechanisms, financial management, implementation of solid waste management (SWM) projects, expenditures, and other areas, the report said. The performance audit involved test-checking 14 sampled ULBs out of 50, covering the financial years 2017-18 to 2021-22. This audit was conducted between July 2022 and January 2023 to assess the quality of SWM facilities, the report added. The state government notified the Jharkhand State Urban Sanitation Policy in 2018. The audit revealed that none of the 14 test-checked ULBs had prepared SWM plans. Additionally, nine out of the 14 ULBs failed to recognise organisations of informal waste pickers or collectors. "There was a 28 per cent vacancy for sanitary supervisors and an 89 per cent vacancy in the

ADB to give $200 mn loan to India for solid waste management in 100 cities

Asian Development Bank and the Government of India recently signed a USD 200 million (about Rs 1,700 crore) loan to improve solid waste management and sanitation in 100 cities across eight states in the country. The signatories to the loan agreement for the Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 -Comprehensive Municipal Waste Management in Indian Cities Program were Juhi Mukherjee, Joint Secretary, Finance Ministry, and Mio Oka, Country Director for Asian Development Bank (ADB) - India Resident Mission, the Manila-based multilateral funding agency said in a statement on Tuesday. After signing the loan agreement, Mukherjee said that the programme supports the objectives of the government's Swachh Bharat (Clean India) Mission - Urban 2.0 by enhancing sanitation and solid waste management infrastructure, including waste segregation, collection and disposal. "This programme is guided by lessons derived from ADB's experience in urban infrastructure development across several states and will incorpora