| Abstract |
The management of solid waste is integral to city sanitation. Over the last decade, larger cities, especially those with financial and managerial capacity, have attempted to improve waste
management practices in response to the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Rules 2000. In this, the development of disposal infrastructure, i.e., sanitary landfills, has made the least progress due to factors ranging from land scarcity to lack of technical and financial capacity in cities. These challenges are further accentuated in smaller Urban Local Bodies (ULBs). Recognising these challenges, the Government of India and key stakeholders have been deliberating upon mechanisms and arrangements to facilitate compliance with requirements for treatment and
safe disposal of solid waste. In this context, regional arrangements for waste management—whereby a single, relatively large site is developed to serve the waste disposal requirements of a group of ULBs—provide a way forward for pooling of resources to address some of the challenges in MSW management. Regional facilities may incorporate treatment as well as disposal facilities, and generate sufficient scale to enhance technical and financial efficiencies. Furthermore, they facilitate the monitoring of environmental outcomes and performance due to a reduced number of sites. The approach enables smaller ULBs to achieve compliance with minimal financial burden. [authors abstract]
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