Lok Sabha Question No. 1910 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-02-12
Subject: Burning of Waste/Garbage
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Kotagiri Sridhar

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1910

TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.02.2021

## Burning of Waste/Garbage

## 1910.  SHRI SRIDHAR KOTAGIRI:

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

- (a) whether  the Government  is  aware  of  the  pollution  being  caused  by burning  of waste/garbage in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether there exists technical alternatives to burn garbage under controlled conditions by treating toxic gases with output produced for making bricks and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  utilize  innovation  of  scientific  institutions  to provided village level solutions to such problems; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND

## CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

(a) and (b): The Ministry has notified the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, as amended for solid waste management across the country. Under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, the responsibility of implementation is vested in the States and Municipal Authorities. The SWM Rules, have specific provisions dealing with burning of wastes. It is stipulated under the Rules, that no waste generator shall throw, burn or bury the solid waste generated by him, on streets, open public spaces outside his premises or in the drain or water bodies. Further, these Rules cast specific duties and responsibilities on local bodies and VillagePanchayats, wherein inter alia they have to ensure that open burning of garbage does not take place The street sweepers are also to be directed not to burn tree leaves collected from street sweeping.

As  per  available  information,  steps  have  been  taken  by  respective  State  Government/Union Territory  Administration  and  State  Pollution  Control  Board/Pollution  Control  Committee, through urban local bodies and village panchayats, where required, to stop burning of garbage.

(c) to (e):  As per Rules, local authorities and village Panchayats, have to facilitate setting up of solid waste processing facilities and associated infrastructure, for optimum utilization of various components  of  solid  waste  by  adopting  suitable  technologyincluding  the  technologies  given below and adhering to the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs from time to time and as per standards prescribed by the Central Pollution Control Board.

- i. bio-methanation,  microbial  composting,  vermi-composting,  anaerobic  digestion  or  any other appropriate processing for bio-stabilisation of biodegradable wastes and
- ii. waste  to  energy  processes  including  refused  derived  fuel  for  combustible  fraction  of waste or supply as feedstock to solid waste based power plants or cement kilns

Preference  shall  be  given  to  decentralised  processing  to  minimize  transportation  cost  and environmental  impacts.  Through  the  Solid  Waste  Management  (Amendment)  Rules,  2020, villages  with  population  more  than  3000  have  been  brought  under  the  ambit  of  the  Rules  for solid waste management in villages.

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