Publication:
India: Sustainable Solid Waste Management in Mountain Areas

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Files in English
English PDF (3.12 MB)
1,982 downloads
English Text (278.69 KB)
85 downloads
Published
2021-01
ISSN
Date
2021-04-26
Author(s)
Editor(s)
Abstract
India is the second largest country in the world in terms of population and is rapidly catching up to the People’s Republic of China. A rapidly increasing population, coupled with sustained economic growth and urbanization, has led to an uncontrolled increase in waste generation in the country. Even within cities, there is a variation in service provision with wealthier neighborhoods receiving more frequent municipal solid waste (MSW) collection services and street sweeping compared to poorer areas and slums that receive no services. The Government of India has created a number of laws and rules related to solid waste management (SWM) since the early 2000s, but the implementation of solid waste rules - in mountainous regions as well as the plains - remains a huge challenge. Chapter one gives introduction. Chapter two discusses the current landscape of the SWM sector in India. In chapter three, the report investigates the current situation regarding SWM in the mountain areas of India. Chapter four looks at the complexity of managing solid waste in mountain areas as well as the various challenges and opportunities that arise. Chapter five presents a framework or foundation on which solutions can be steadily built and presents recommendations and related implementable actions along a phased approach. In conclusion, chapter six briefly summarizes the role of the World Bank in the SWM sector and how it can provide support to clients to improve SWM services and practices in mountain areas in the South Asia region and elsewhere.
Link to Data Set
Citation
World Bank. 2021. India: Sustainable Solid Waste Management in Mountain Areas. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/35499 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.
Digital Object Identifier
Associated URLs
Associated content
Report Series
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue

Related items

Showing items related by metadata.

  • Publication
    India
    (Washington, DC, 2015-06-03) World Bank Group
    The Government of Punjab, through Government of India’s (GoI) Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) had requested the World Bank to provide non-lending technical assistance (NLTA) to provide high quality basic urban civic amenities to the residents of cities of Ludhiana and Amritsar in the areas of: water supply, sewerage, storm water drainage, solid waste management, and modern urban transport system. The study is expected to recommend measures and technologies to overcome the existing problems and transform the cities in to modern cities with substantially developed urban civic amenities. Capacity building, institution, and legal reforms will also be the component of the project report. After initial discussions with sector officials, a Bank team visited both Amritsar and Ludhiana cities to identify priority service level innovations and institutional challenges that have to be addressed under this NLTA for achieving desired transformative change. Currently, water supply is drawn from hundreds of unprotected bore wells across length and breadth of the city - which supply polluted water through an unplanned haphazard network. Utility, fully owned by the municipal corporation, will have operational autonomy to manage water and waste water services, whilst still be accountable to the corporation. Financial position will become clear, it can focus on becoming financially self-sustaining. The utility will make long term plans for water supply and sewage; and with government support may also be able to mobilize resources through this is unlikely in the short term in Amritsar.
  • Publication
    Republic of India
    (Washington, DC, 2015-04-28) World Bank
    This synthesis report details the process, outputs and intermediate outcomes of the World Bank’s Water and Sanitation Program (WSP) Technical Assistance (TA) to pilot and operationalize city sanitation plans (CSPs) towards outcome oriented sector investments (P131967). This TA addresses issues of ad hoc planning though CSPs that are holistic, intended for city-wide implementation and address the full cycle of sanitation. However, prior to preparation and operationalization of CSPs, it was recognized that this needed to be anchored in a statewide sanitation program. The statewide sanitation program needed to: estimate and provide for the capital requirements to address the gaps in sanitation infrastructure across the sanitation service delivery chain (collection, treatment and disposal), estimate the operation and maintenance (OM) requirements, and set out the framework for prioritization of cities, and attendant institutional frameworks. This TA aimed at piloting and operationalization of CSPs towards outcome oriented sector investments, by supporting (i) select state and local governments with technical assistance to operationalize city sanitation plans by targeting outcome oriented investments, and (ii) improving the institutional and regulatory framework and strengthening state and local government capacity for efficient and sustainable delivery of Government of India or World Bank or other development partner funded programs.
  • Publication
    India - Improving Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Services : Lessons from Business Plans for Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Haryana and International Good Practices
    (Washington, DC, 2012-07) World Bank
    The purpose of this report is to distill lessons learnt for improving Water Supply and Sanitation (WSS) services in India, by reference to the recent WSS business plans prepared for the three states of Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Haryana and from various studies carried out by the World Bank on international good practices in urban water service delivery. The report culls out the core elements of the WSS reform program and proposes how such reforms might be implemented. The intended audience for this report is policy makers at the national and state levels, sector professionals and practitioners. The report identifies the key elements of a state-wide program for improving WSS services and accountability on the basis of the following three pillars: i) policies and institutions: appropriate policies and institutional arrangements that clarify the roles and responsibilities of key actors, and which create service providers that are efficient, accountable and customer focused with sufficient autonomy to manage their affairs in a professional manner; ii) infrastructure and financing: medium term infrastructure development program with appropriate financial frameworks that encourage service providers to rely increasingly on user fees and, later on, loans as their main sources of financing. Any subsidies within that framework should be provided in a targeted and transparent manner to support government policies; and iii) capacity building for professional services: ensuring well trained, knowledgeable and motivated staff to deliver the services in a high quality manner. To put the sector in context, the report begins by summarizing the results of various international studies undertaken over the last several years by the World Bank to better understand the makings of well run public WSS companies. These findings point towards the need to establish sectors which encourage the development of autonomous, accountable and customer oriented service providers. Within that framework the report provides suggestions on practical steps that can be taken by governments and service providers.
  • Publication
    India, Uttarakand Disaster, June 2013 : Joint Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment Report
    (New Delhi, 2013-08) World Bank; Asian Development Bank
    The State of Uttarakhand experienced an unprecedented high rainfall between June 15 and 17, 2013 that resulted in flash floods and landslides within the State. The continuous rain disrupted normal life resulting in a total of 580 human lives being lost, more than 4,000 persons missing and over hundred thousand pilgrims being stranded. This event has affected over 900,000 people in Uttarakhand this year. The numerous landslides and toe erosion by the sediment loaded rivers caused breaching of roads and highways at many locations and washed away several bridges; disrupting traffic and telecommunication links within the state. The Government of Uttarakhand (GoU) launched a massive emergency rescue and evacuation operation with assistance from the Indian Army, Indian Air Force (IAF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the local Police evacuating more than 110,000 people from these flood affected areas. The State Government continues to ensure that there is no shortage of food and other essential supplies, especially for communities in areas with connectivity problems. Additionally, doctors and paramedics were deployed in the disaster affected areas to provide medical services. This report presents an assessment of the physical damages with a sector-wise impact of the disaster, reconstruction needs and preliminary estimates specifically with regards to infrastructure, housing, services and livelihood.
  • Publication
    Improving Management of Municipal Solid Waste in India : Overview and Challenges
    (World Bank, Washington, DC, 2006-05-01) Hanrahan, David; Srivastava, Sanjay; Ramakrishna, A. Sita
    This study summarizes the findings of a non-lending analytical activity carried out by the World Bank in 2004 and 2005. The work was driven by concern over the quality of the urban environment, and undertaken in a context of uncertainty on the suitability and effectiveness of Bank investment in this area, particularly in regard to components that generate little or no direct revenue, like waste disposal and sewage treatment. The immediate objectives involved addressing specific problems established in consultation with clients, and identifying obstacles and challenges to the improved management of municipal solid waste (MSW) in Indian cities. The broader long-term objective of this work is to support municipal authorities in improving the quality of the urban environment within their jurisdictions, with the aim of achieving related public health and economic benefits.

Users also downloaded

Showing related downloaded files

  • Publication
    Continental Drying: A Threat to Our Common Future
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-11-04) Zhang, Fan; Borja-Vega, Christian; Chandanpurkar, Hrishikesh Arvind; Famiglietti, James; Hogeboom, Rick; Namara, Regassa; Rasul, Zarif; Luengas-Sierra, Pavel; Rao, Deyu
    Grounded in new evidence from satellite data, “Continental Drying: A Threat to Our Common Future” presents the first global assessment of freshwater reserves over the past two decades. The findings expose an alarming trend of “continental drying,” a persistent long-term decline in freshwater availability across vast landmasses. Not only are droughts and deluges becoming more unpredictable, but the total amount of freshwater available for use has also significantly declined. Continental drying, driven by global warming, worsening droughts, and unsustainable water and land use, is a silent but accelerating crisis—largely unknown to the public—that reshapes the global water narrative. Continental drying raises profound risks. This report reveals new empirical evidence showing how freshwater depletion leads to major job losses, reduced incomes, wildfires, and biodiversity threats. In the long term, the combined effects of drying and warming could push societies toward a tipping point where damage accelerates rapidly and adaptation becomes increasingly difficult. Against the backdrop of continental drying, global water consumption rose by 25 percent between 2000 and 2019, with about a third of this increase occurring in regions already experiencing drying. Compounding the pressure, a substantial share of water use in drying regions remains inefficient. Continental Drying identifies hot spots where rising demand and declining supply converge and explores where and how water savings can be realized. This report recommends a three-pronged approach to address the crisis: managing demand, augmenting water supply, and improving water allocation. Five cross-cutting levers—strengthening institutions, reforming water tariffs and repurposing subsidies, adopting water accounting, leveraging data and technological innovations, and valuing water in trade—are essential for effective implementation and to attract private investment to finance the approach. Beyond water, addressing trade barriers, investing in education and skills development, and improving access to markets and financial services are critical for strengthening job and livelihood resilience amid a continental drying crisis.
  • Publication
    Digital Africa
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2023-03-13) Begazo, Tania; Dutz, Mark Andrew; Blimpo, Moussa
    All African countries need better and more jobs for their growing populations. "Digital Africa: Technological Transformation for Jobs" shows that broader use of productivity-enhancing, digital technologies by enterprises and households is imperative to generate such jobs, including for lower-skilled people. At the same time, it can support not only countries’ short-term objective of postpandemic economic recovery but also their vision of economic transformation with more inclusive growth. These outcomes are not automatic, however. Mobile internet availability has increased throughout the continent in recent years, but Africa’s uptake gap is the highest in the world. Areas with at least 3G mobile internet service now cover 84 percent of Africa’s population, but only 22 percent uses such services. And the average African business lags in the use of smartphones and computers as well as more sophisticated digital technologies that catalyze further productivity gains. Two issues explain the usage gap: affordability of these new technologies and willingness to use them. For the 40 percent of Africans below the extreme poverty line, mobile data plans alone would cost one-third of their incomes—in addition to the price of access devices, apps, and electricity. Data plans for small- and medium-size businesses are also more expensive than in other regions. Moreover, shortcomings in the quality of internet services—and in the supply of attractive, skills-appropriate apps that promote entrepreneurship and raise earnings—dampen people’s willingness to use them. For those countries already using these technologies, the development payoffs are significant. New empirical studies for this report add to the rapidly growing evidence that mobile internet availability directly raises enterprise productivity, increases jobs, and reduces poverty throughout Africa. To realize these and other benefits more widely, Africa’s countries must implement complementary and mutually reinforcing policies to strengthen both consumers’ ability to pay and willingness to use digital technologies. These interventions must prioritize productive use to generate large numbers of inclusive jobs in a region poised to benefit from a massive, youthful workforce—one projected to become the world’s largest by the end of this century.
  • Publication
    Direct and Indirect Impacts of Transport Mobility on Access to Jobs: Evidence from South Africa
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-11-12) Iimi, Atsushi
    Access to jobs is essential for economic growth. In Africa, unemployment rates are notably high. This paper reexamines the relationship between transport mobility and labor market outcomes, with a particular focus on the direct and indirect effects of transport connectivity. As predicted by theory, wages are influenced by the level of commuting deterrence. Generally, higher earnings are associated with longer commute times and/or higher commuting costs. Local accessibility is also important, especially for individuals with time constraints. Both direct and indirect impacts are found to be significant in South Africa, where job accessibility has been challenging since the end of apartheid. For the direct impact, the wage elasticity associated with commuting costs is significant. Returns on commute are particularly high for women. Local accessibility to socioeconomic facilities, such as shops and health services, is also found to have a significant impact, consistent with the concept of mobility of care. To enhance employment, therefore, it is crucial to connect people not only to job locations but also to various socioeconomic points of interest, such as markets and hospitals, in an integrated manner. This integration will enable individuals to spend more time working and commuting longer distances.
  • Publication
    Taxes, Spending, and Equity: International Patterns and Lessons for Developing Countries
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-11-17) Wai-Poi, Matthew; Sosa, Mariano; Bachas, Pierre
    Taxes and public spending underpin the basic administration of government and finance the human capital and infrastructure investments needed for economic growth. They can also have a significant and immediate impact on poverty and inequality. The question of how public finance can support longer-term growth objectives while promoting equity has become even more important in recent years, given the high fiscal deficits and debt levels most countries emerged with in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. These included the increasing cost of debt and the need to restart environmentally sustainable growth while helping households address the learning losses and other social scars caused by the pandemic. This paper examines the global evidence on which households pay which taxes and who benefits from what spending, and critically, the net effect on different households across the income distribution. The aim is to identify the patterns and lessons that emerge for designing progressive fiscal policies. A global dataset of 96 countries is assembled, spanning all regions of the world and all national income levels, grounded in the Commitment to Equity (CEQ) approach to fiscal incidence.
  • Publication
    Kyrgyz Republic Country Climate and Development Report
    (Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-11-03) World Bank Group
    This Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) on the Kyrgyz Republic aims to support the country’s development goals amid a changing climate. The CCDR considers two policy scenarios up to 2050: the business-as-usual (BAU) and high-growth scenarios. As it quantifies the likely impacts of climate change on the Kyrgyz economy between now and 2050, the report highlights key government actions to best prepare for and adapt to climate impacts (referred to as “with adaptation” measures), with a particular focus on the time horizon up to 2030. The CCDR also outlines a path to net zero emissions by 2050 (referred to as “with mitigation” measures, “decarbonization,” or, simply, “net zero 2050”), highlighting associated development co-benefits.