Lok Sabha Question No. 3008 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-20
Subject: Data on Methane Emissions
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Abdul Khaleque, Sunita Duggal, Satyadev Pachauri, Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3008

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.03.2023

## Data on Methane Emissions

3008.   SHRI ABDUL KHALEQUE: SHRIMATI SUNITA DUGGAL: SHRI SATYADEV PACHAURI:

SHRI LAVU SRI KRISHNADEVARAYALU:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  any  data  on  methane  emissions  in  the  country  from landfills;
- (b) if so, the details thereof, if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  adopted  technologies  for  mitigation  of  waste-related emissions such as methane;
- (d) if so, the details thereof, if not, the reasons therefor;
- (e) whether the Government has set any guidelines/deadlines/monitoring mechanisms for the treatment of landfills;
- (f) if so, whether there are any mechanisms inplace to check the same; and
- (g) if so, the details thereof, if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE ( S H R I   A S H W I N I   K U M A R   C H O U B E Y )

(a)  and  (b)    As  per  third  Biennial  Update  Report  submitted  to  the  United  Nations Framework  Convention  on  Climate  Change  (UNFCCC),  59,372  Gigagram  (Gg)  of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) reached landfills in India, resulting in 754 (Gg) of Methane in the year 2016.

(c) and (d) The Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 emphasize on segregation of waste at source and handing over of segregated waste, as specified by the local body. As per the rules, preference is required to be given to decentralised processing for gainful utilisation and minimizing the environmental impacts using bio-methanation, microbial composting, vermi-composting,  anaerobic  digestion  or  any  other  appropriate  processing  for  biostabilisation  of  biodegradable  wastes  and  use  of  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.

Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 (SBM-U 2.0) is being implemented with a vision of achieving 'Garbage Free cities' status for all cities which, inter alia, involves, remediation of all existing landfills/ legacy dumpsites by 2026. Through initiatives like 'The GOBAR (Galvanizing  Organic  Bio-Agro  Resources)  Dhan  Scheme',  New  National  Biogas  and Organic Manure Programme, cattle waste utilisation is being incentivised, in addition to production  of  clean  energy  in  villages.  The  GOBAR-Dhan  Scheme,  inter  alia,  supports biodegradable  waste  recovery  and  conversion  of  waste  into  resources  and  reduction  of greenhouse gas emissions.

(e) to (g)  The Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 provide the statutory framework for management  of  solid  waste  in  the  country.  The  Schedule  I  of  the  rules  provides specification  for  sanitary  landfills,  which  includes  criteria  for  (i)  site  selection  (ii) development  of  facilities  at  the  sanitary  landfill  (iii)  criteria  for  pollution  prevention including leachate management (iv) air and water quality monitoring including landfill gas control  system  to  minimize  odour  and  prevent  off-site  migration  of  gases,  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 (CPCB) 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  (SPCBs) and  Pollution  Control  Committees  (PCCs)  for  enforcement  of  provisions  of  the  Rules, regarding bio-mining of legacy waste. Under Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen Phase II, Department  of  Drinking  Water  and  Sanitation  has  issued  operational  guidelines  to  the States and Union Territories (UTs) which include solid waste management activities at the village level.

The  Solid  Waste  Management  Rules,  2016  also  provide  for  responsibilities  of  the concerned Central Ministries, Departments in States and UTs, CPCB, SPCBs and PCCs in terms  of the  implementation  of  these  rules  in the  country,  overall  monitoring  of environmental  standards  and  adherence  to  conditions  for  waste  processing  and  disposal sites, etc.

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