Shimla: HP State Pollution Control Board and Urban Development Department, Himachal Pradesh organized one-day Regional Level Workshop on Implementation of Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 & other Waste Management Rules cum Review meeting for the various Schemes/Projects being implemented by Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) of Kangra, Chamba, Hamirpur and Una Districts today on 12th November 2018 at DRDA Conference Hall, Dharamshala.
Dr. R.K. Pruthi, IAS, Member Secretary, HP State Pollution Control Board and Director and Urban Development Department, Govt. of Himachal Pradesh delivered the keynote address on the current status of various provisions of the rules and implementation of Solid Waste Management 2018 in Himachal Pradesh particularly in four districts of Kangra, Hamirpur, Chamba and Una and reviewed the compliance of these Rules. This workshop was important in view of the directions of Hon’ble Green Tribunal dated 20th August 2018 on solid waste management. He directed the representatives of Urban Local Bodies that there is an urgent need implement various provisions SWM Rules 2016 and directions of Hon’ble NGT else has to face the prosecutions. He also informed the participants that Regional Monitoring Committee constituted by Hon’ble NGT is keeping a close watch on the performance of each and every ULB and any violation and non-performance/compliance shall be firmly dealt. He also conducted ULB-wise review and gave specific directions to each concerned ULB present in the workshop. He emphasised on source segregation and proper collections, maintaining the proper conditions of bins, ensuring proper transportation of waste and its scientific disposal. He also informed that performance audit be mandatorily conducted and gaps are be identified vis-à-vis door to door collection, source segregation, litter bins, waste storage bins, separate transportation, waste processing of wet waste, dry waste and Material recovery facility, scientific landfill, C&D waste, bulk waste generation, RDF etc.
S.K. Shandil, Environment Engineer, HP State Pollution Control Board gave a detailed presentation on various provisions of Solid Waste Management Rules 2016 and also discussed the prevailing directions of Hon’ble National Green Tribunal and its effective implementation. He also gave the broad perspective on solid waste management of the Indian scenario vis-à-vis state of Himachal Pradesh. He also discussed some good and exemplary initiatives and examples, which are changing the waste management scenario across the country. He highlighted the duties of urban local bodies and its responsibilities particularly in view of emerging legal challenges.
This was followed by the presentation by Dr. Manoj Chauhan, Pr. Scientific Officer, HP State Pollution Control Board on domestic hazardous waste and bio-medical Waste Management Rules. He further stressed on the need of proper implementation of all the provisions of various waste management rules particularly that of hazardous type. However, management of this rule requires separate sets of management and treatment by individual ULB. He further added we in India collect only about 80 percent of waste of which only 20-25 percent of wastes are being treated/managed properly. Sh. Chandan Kumar, Asstt. Environmental Engineer, HP State Pollution Control Board gave a detailed presentation on plastic waste and e-waste followed by a presentation by the representative of Urban Development Department, who explained various central guidelines on solid waste management and displayed some successful cases of solid waste management rules through videos.