Developing Sustainable Legal Paradigm in Management of Municipal Solid Wastes in India: An Overview

Manisha Singh[1], Prashant Mehta[2]
Page No. 40-52

India is now among the top ten countries generating the highest amount of Municipal Solid Waste
(MSW) due to growing urbanisation and high consumption. As per report published by UN Habitat,
on collection of Municipal wastes in developing countries and working paper by UNDP/UNCHS
(Habitat)/World Bank/SDC Collaborative Program on Municipal Solid Waste management, In
developing countries, because of the size of their urban populations, in part because their city
dwellers are prospering, adopting high-consumption lifestyles, rapid urbanization and accelerated
economic development within the rapidly growing advanced technological societies, the municipal
co-operations are unable to handle the increasing amount of municipal solid waste, and this
uncollected waste being left unattended, spreads on roads and in other public areas leading to
tremendous air pollution, contamination of water bodies, destruction of land, and enormous
negative impact on human health. The nature of municipal solid waste is a term usually applied to a
heterogeneous collection group of waste produced in urban areas, the nature of which varies from
region to region. The common problem faced by all fast developing countries, is the disposal of
municipal solid waste and availability of land fill site area besides need of strong laws which help
in regulating and control of municipal waste generation. It is an intricate and complex problem
because land is part of ecosphere and land pollution cannot be isolated, so it primarily involves the
policy perspective question. This study analyzes problem of MSW in India and highlights the legal
paradigm to handle this growing problem. This study analyses the changing trend in the MSW
quantities and characteristics in major urban agglomerations in India and emerging legal angle to
handle this intricate issue of 21st century.
Keywords: Municipal Solid Waste, Urbanization, Waste Generation, Landfill Area, Environment
Laws.