2021: New deadline for 100% door-to-door waste collection

Guidelines also laid out to protect the health and dignity of pourakarmikas

The state government on Thursday approved a new solid waste management (SWM) policy and strategy, which set 2021 as the deadline for segregation of waste at source and 100% door-to-door collection, while laying out guidelines to protect the health and dignity of pourakarmikas.

The Karnataka State Urban SWM Policy-2020 lays out a road map for urban local bodies, including BBMP, to implement time-bound measures.

Accordingly, the burning of waste should be stopped by December 2021 and ULBs should ensure that less than 30% of the waste reaches landfills.

The strategy lays emphasis on developing an institutional mechanism and financial guidelines to support the SWM sector; a strategy to handle dry and wet waste; management of hazardous, sanitary and special wastes; monitoring and evaluation of the SWM system; sanitary landfill management; public information; education and welfare of pourakarmikas; and the integration of informal waste sector into the SWM system.

The Urban SWM Strategy-2020 details the measures and methodology needed to be adopted to achieve the goals.

Deadlines set

The policy says that by March 2021, all waste generators should be covered under the door-to-door collection mechanism. During the same time, 100% segregation at source should be achieved by all ULBs.

Steps should be taken to ensure that by December 2021 all biodegradable waste is processed using appropriate technology while the ban on plastic is enforced strictly.

The policy also sets 2023 as the target year for coming up with bio-mining or other appropriate methods to manage dump yards.