Lok Sabha Question No. 205 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-18
Subject: Emission of Toxic Gases from Landfills
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Gyaneshwar Patil

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 205 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.07.2022

## Emission of Toxic Gases from Landfills

## 205.    SHRI GYANESHWAR PATIL:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) the scheme and policies of the Government tomanage waste disposal system in every district of the country to decrease carbon emission in small cities;
- (b) whether the Government has conducted anyresearch and development of permanent waste disposal system around landfill areas for cleanliness in these areaand reducing emission of toxic gases; and
- (c) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  if  not,  the  stepstaken  and  policies  formulated  by  the Government for restoration of landfills in every city?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) The  Solid Waste  Management  Rules,  2016, providethe statutory framework  for management of solid waste in the country. As per the Rules, the local authorities and village panchayats  are  responsible  for  solid  waste  management.  The  Central  Government  has launched  Swachh  Bharat  Mission  Urban  2.0  (SBM-U  2.0)  in  October  2021  with  overall vision  of  creating  "Garbage  Free  Cities",  to  be  executed  over  the  next  five  years,  which would involve achieving the target that all Urban Local Bodies will become at least 3-star certified  (as  per  Star  Rating  Protocol  for  Garbage  Free  Cities),  with  at  least  80%  wards covered with door to door collection, 60% source segregation practised in each ward, and at least  80%  of  municipal  solid  waste  being  scientifically  processed.  Under  the  Scheme  of Swachh Bharat Mission Urban 2.0, additional Central Assistance is provided to States and Union Territories for solid waste management by Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, as per scheme guidelines. Under Swachh Bharat Mission - Grameen Phase II, Department of Drinking  Water  and  Sanitation  has  issued  operational  guidelines  to  the  States  and  Union Territories which include solid waste management activities at the village level.

(b) & (c): The Schedule I of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, provides specification for  sanitary  landfills,  which  includes  criteria  for  (i)  site  selection,  (ii)  development  of facilities  at  the  sanitary  landfill,  (iii)  pollution  prevention,  (iv)  air  and  water  quality monitoring,  and  (v)  operation  of  landfill  and  closure  on  completion  of  landfilling.  The Criteria for closure of and rehabilitation of old waste dumps have also been prescribed under the Rules. Central Pollution Control Board has also issued guidelines for Disposal of Legacy Waste (Old Municipal Solid Waste). Directions under Section 5 of Environment (Protection) Act,  1986,  have  been  issued  to  all  State  Pollution  Control  Boards  /  Pollution  Control Committeesfor  enforcement  of provisions of Solid  Waste  Management  Rules,  2016, regarding biomining of legacy waste.

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