Progress Stalls on India’s Landfill Clearance Targets

Why in the news?

The Swachh Bharat Mission Urban 2.0 struggles to clear legacy landfill sites, with only 38% of waste remediated and ongoing challenges in waste management and planning.

Progress Stalls on India’s Landfill Clearance Targets

Status of Landfill Clearance:

  • The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) Urban 2.0 launched in 2021 aims to clear 2,400 legacy landfill sites by 2025-2026.
  • Only 38% of total dumped waste has been remediated across major cities.
  • Of 69 landfills in cities with over 1 million population, land has not been cleared in 35 sites.
  • 65% of landfill sites and 62% of garbage remain uncleared with only two years left.

Top Landfill Sites and Progress

  • Mumbai’s Deonar site, the largest landfill in India (296.5 acres), has had no waste or land cleared.
  • Ahmedabad’s Pirana site has 48% of its area cleared.
  • Delhi’s Ghazipur and Bhalswa sites have seen 26% and 40% of waste remediated but no land cleared.
  • Chennai’s Kodungaiyur site and Mulund in Mumbai have not had any land cleared, though 40% of waste has been remediated at Mulund.

About the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U):

  • Launch Date: October 2, 2014
  • Initiated By: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
  • Objective: Enhance cleanliness, sanitation, and waste management in urban areas; achieve open defecation-free cities.

Phases of SBM-U:

  • SBM-U 1.0
    • Focus: Achieve Open Defecation Free (ODF) status.
    • Success: 100% urban areas declared ODF, improved toilet access, and behavioural change.
  • SBM-U 2.0 (2021-2026)
    • Launch: October 2021.
    • Goals: Achieve ODF+, ODF++ status, promote garbage-free environments, and sustainable practices.

Star Rating Protocol for Garbage Free Cities:

  • Introduced: 2018 by
  • Participation: 50% of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs); 2,238 cities involved.
  • Total Certified Cities: 299 (9 cities rated 5-star, 143 cities rated 3-star, 147 cities rated 1-star).

Current Status of Legacy Waste Management

  • Identified Dumpsites: 2,424 with over 1,000 tonnes of legacy waste.
  • Area Covered: Only 16% (4,552.34 acres) reclaimed.
  • Financial Support: ₹3,226 crore approved for remediation.
  • Top Performers: Tamil Nadu reclaimed 837 acres; Gujarat reclaimed 75% of its landfills.

Sources Referred:

PIB, The Hindu, Indian Express, Hindustan Times