Delhi likely to take another year to frame, implement solid waste management by-laws, says MCD

The Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change notified the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026, on January 27, superseding the 2016 rules.

Even though the Municipal Solid Waste Rules, 2026, came into force on April 1, no major changes have taken place on the ground, with Delhi likely to take another year to frame and implement its own by-laws, senior municipal officials said on Wednesday.

The rules mandate four-stream segregation at source into wet, dry, sanitary and special-care waste, and prescribe a clear definition of bulk waste generators (BWGs). (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

A meeting with urban local bodies was convened by the Union government on Wednesday to review implementation of the new solid waste rules and compliance with waste-management-related orders issued by the Supreme Court.

Officials said a 54-point implementation plan has been prepared, including five-year waste projections, a study on waste generation, notification of by-laws, enforcement of four-way waste segregation and garbage user charges, among other measures.

A senior MCD official said a similar delay had been observed in implementing the 2016 rules, but agencies had been directed to expedite the process this time.

“Once the Centre issues solid waste rules, each state has to frame and notify its own by-laws, fines and penalties. Last time, the by-laws were notified in 2018, but we are trying to expedite the process. We have also engaged IIT Delhi to study waste generation patterns in Delhi,” the official added.

The Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change notified the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026, on January 27, superseding the 2016 rules. The revised rules incorporate principles of the circular economy and extended producer responsibility, with a focus on efficient waste segregation and management.

The rules mandate four-stream segregation at source into wet, dry, sanitary and special-care waste, and prescribe a clear definition of bulk waste generators (BWGs).

A second civic official said tackling BWGs remains a priority because malls, educational institutions, hotels and similar establishments generate a substantial share of the city’s waste.

“A portal is being set up by the Central Pollution Control Board where all BWGs will have to register. There has been some delay in that process and it is likely to take six months. Meanwhile, the process to register them on the MCD 311 app is still on,” the official said.

Officials said some components of the 54-point implementation plan have already been completed.

“We have submitted waste projections for the next five years; it is likely to be around 15,292 metric tonnes by 2028. It was part of the draft Master Plan for Delhi 2041,” the official said.

Other items in the implementation plan include GIS-based resource incentivisation, identification of garbage collection leakages and infrastructure gaps, and mapping of garbage-vulnerable points.

“A third-party audit of all bulk waste generators is also on the cards,” the official said.

Earlier, the civic body had said it planned to enforce an alternate-day waste collection system. However, no progress has been made on implementing the plan, and there is still no clarity on enforcing user charges on waste generators.