CAG report reveals lapses, poor infra, lack of segregation at source

The audit report was tabled in the Uttar Pradesh assembly during the recently concluded Monsoon session.

: The Comptroller and Auditor General’s audit report on solid waste management practices across select urban local bodies (ULBs) in Uttar Pradesh has revealed severe lapses in implementation, infrastructure and compliance with statutory norms, despite years of funding and policy support.

Material Recovery Facility (MRF) centres, meant for sorting recyclable waste, remained non-functional in 38 ULBs even three years after receiving funding. (For representation only)

The ULBs in question were found transporting and dumping mixed waste without segregation at source, a clear violation of Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2016. Public surveys conducted as part of the audit found zero evidence of source segregation in households, according to the report. Additionally, not a single ULB had set up designated deposition centres for domestic hazardous waste. The audit report was tabled in the Uttar Pradesh assembly during the recently concluded Monsoon session.

Waste processing rates were low, with the state averaging between 26% and 71% of total waste collected from 2016 to 2022, the audit report said. In some ULBs, the figure dropped to as low as 0%. Of 32 processing plants sanctioned between 2005 and 2015, only 15 are currently operational. More recently, under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), civil work was completed for 19 of 36 newly sanctioned plants, but these remained non-functional due to lack of funds for machinery. The remaining 17 plants were still under construction as of July 2023.

Material Recovery Facility (MRF) centres, meant for sorting recyclable waste, remained non-functional in 38 ULBs even three years after receiving funding. Weighbridge facilities, a basic requirement for monitoring waste, were absent in 89% of the ULBs concerned.

Despite the government’s push for door-to-door waste collection, coverage remained inadequate. Even the vehicles used for collection showed shortcomings: only 67% of tippers had partitions for segregated waste, limiting their effectiveness, the report said.

The report highlighted mismanagement at the planning level. In 2019-20, flawed gap analysis led to an over-supply of tricycles and mini tippers in seven ULBs, diverting funds that could have been used elsewhere.

The State Level Advisory Body, formed in 2017 to monitor SWM rule implementation, held only six of the mandated 10 meetings over five years, according to the report.

The Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board’s (UPPCB) annual reports were found lacking critical data on biomedical waste categories and their treatment. Up to 43% of bio-medical waste handlers were found operating without proper authorization.

Plastic and construction waste management also showed glaring gaps, according to the report. The state generates 1,030 tonnes of plastic waste daily but has disposal capacity for only 722.5 tonnes. Between 2016 and 2021, UPPCB did not receive a single application for construction and demolition waste processing facilities, and only two cities—Lucknow and Ghaziabad—had any functional system for such waste.

A senior official of the urban development department, on condition of anonymity, said, “The department is going through all the minute points highlighted by the CAG audit. Every step would be taken to fill the gaps. However, the department has done a good job during the Kumbh by setting up solid waste management facilities in Prayagraj and Ayodhya. Soon, solid waste treatment facilities would be coming up in all ULBs of the state.”