New SWM Rules in UP: Segregation at source compulsory

Following the Uttar Pradesh (UP) Cabinet’s approval to the Uttar Pradesh Solid Waste (Management, Operation and Sanitation) Rules last week, it will soon be compulsory for households to segregate waste at source. Urban local bodies will henceforth also have to implement door-to-door waste collection.

A penalty will be charged for violating the provisions of the Solid Waste Management Rules-2016, including littering in public areas. The fine will range from Rs 100 to Rs 2500. All the waste will have to be segregated at source into three categories — biodegradable, non-biodegradable and domestic.

The state produces 14,468 tons of solid waste each day and the responsibility for collecting and managing it is with ULBs, as per the SWM Rules 2016. Till date, ULBs across UP have either failed to formulate waste bye-laws or were not implementing them satisfactorily.