Highlights of the Recommendations of Inter Ministrial Task Force On ...

1. Ever increasing quantities of solid waste in Urban India is
posing several challenges to city administration across the
country.
2. Several issues relating to Municipal Solid Waste from planning
to budgetary provisions and regulatory aspects remained least
priority over several decades.
3. The subject came into lime light following Surat – plague
episode in September, 1994. With Planning Commission
appointing High Power Committee (Dr. Bajaj Committee) and
several initiative at State Government Level.
4. As a consequent to poor state of Solid Waste Management in
several cities PIL No 888 / 1996 was filed in the Supreme
Court of India by Mrs. Almitra Patel & others Vs Union of India
and all States.
5. Under this PIL Hon’ble Supreme Court has issued several
directives and orders including appointment of Technical
Committee (Barman Committee) to review critical aspects of
MSW in India. This became the basis for Rule making.
6. This was followed by Gazette notification of Municipal Solid
Waste (Management & Handling Rules 2000) by MOEF New
Delhi on 25 th Sept 2000. This makes it mandatory for all ULB’s
in India to systematize Solid Waste Management including
setting up of Plants for Processing of MSW through Biocomposting,
Vermi-composting, Anaerobic digestion etc.
7. PIL 888/1996 still continues in the Supreme Court of India.
The Hon’ble Court has further directed The Government of
India to constitute Inter Ministrial Task force on Integrated
Plant Nutrient Management by using city compost. This was
with the objective of solving the problem of city waste faced by
Urban Local Bodies and to raise the fertility of soil through
IPNM.
12/16/2009
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