years. The new rules are now applicable beyond municipal areas and extend to urban
agglomerations, census towns, notified industrial townships, areas under the control of Indian
Railways, airports, airbase, port and harbour, defence establishments, special economic zones,
state and central government organizations, places of pilgrimage, religious and historical
importance. The segregation of waste at source has been mandated. Responsibilities of
generators have been fixed for segregation of waste in to three streams, wet (biodegradable), dry
(plastic, paper, metal, wood, etc.) and domestic hazardous wastes (diapers, napkins, empty
containers of cleaning agents, mosquito repellents, etc.) The Rules provide ways for integration
of waste pickers/rag pickers. The Rules mandate local bodies to frame their bye-laws to impose
‘User Fee’, to be paid by the generator to waste collector and for ‘Spot Fine’ for littering and
non-segregation. The concept of partnership as envisaged under Swachh Bharat has been
introduced viz., bulk and institutional generators, market associations, event organizers and
hotels and restaurants have been directly made responsible for waste segregation and
management in partnership with local bodies. All resident welfare and market associations, gated
communities and institution with an area >5,000 sq.m. new townships and group housing
societies have been made responsible to develop in-house waste handling, and processing
arrangements for bio-degradable waste.
Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016
It is known fact that plastic has multiple uses and the physical and chemical properties lead
to their commercial success but inevitably their indiscriminate disposal has become a major
threat to the environment. In particular, the plastic carry bags are the biggest contributors of the
littered waste and every year, millions of plastic bags end up in the environment vis-a-vis soil,
water bodies, water courses, and it takes an average of one thousand years to decompose
completely. Therefore, to address the issue of scientific plastic waste management, new
regulations namely, the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011 were notified in
2011 which included plastic waste management. However, the implementation of these rules was
not so effective because their ambit was limited to notified municipal areas whereas today, the
plastic has reached our rural areas also. To address these issues and with an objective to set up
self-sustainable waste management system, the Ministry notified the Plastic Waste Management
Rules, 2016. The Rules provide for: (i) increase in minimum thickness of plastic carry bags from
40 to 50 microns, (ii) first time cover and stipulate minimum thickness of 50 microns for plastic
sheets being used for packaging and wrapping commodities to facilitate collection and recycle of
plastic waste, (iii) revamped pricing mechanisms for plastic carry bags by introducing plastic
waste management fee to be paid by retailers/street vendors willing to provide carry bags as pre-
registration charge, (iv) ways and means to promote gainful utilization of plastic waste such as
energy recovery, in road construction, etc. (v) introducing user charge and spot fines by local
authority.
Construction & Demolition Waste Management, 2016
The Ministry for the first time notified the separate set of rules for management of
construction and demolition waste in the country as Construction and Demolition Management
Rules, 2016. Prior to these Rules, this was regulated under the Municipal Solid Waste
Management Rules, 2000 and was left at the desecration of the urban local bodies. The new rules
regulate waste generated from construction, re-modelling, repair and demolition of any civil
structure and make a way forward to reuse, recycle such waste in gainful manner. The new rules