The Government of India has notified the Solid Waste Management Rules (SWM) Rules, 2026 in supersession of earlier SWM Rules, 2016 with provisions for proper and effective management of municipal solid waste (MSW), including sanitary landfills. The Rules have come into force with effect from 01.04.2026.

As per the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026, sanitary landfilling means the final and safe disposal of residual solid waste and inert wastes on land in a facility designed with protective measures against pollution of ground water, surface water and fugitive air dust, wind-blown litter, bad odour, fire hazard, animal menace, bird menace, pests or rodents, greenhouse gas emissions, persistent organic pollutants slope instability and erosion.

The aforementioned Rules provide for establishment, construction, operation and maintenance of Sanitary Landfill by the concerned local body through eligible agencies. The Rules, also provide for responsibility of concerned District Magistrate to ensure operation of Sanitary Landfill as per provisions of the rules. The Rules, further provides for audit by the concerned State Pollution Control Board or the Pollution Control Committee or a registered environment auditor on the operation of sanitary landfill for environmentally sound disposal of non-recyclable and non-energy recoverable dry waste and inerts as per guidelines prescribed by Central Pollution Control Board. The Rules, also provides for uploading of the audit report by the State Pollution Control Board or the Pollution Control Committee on the centralised portal.

For the abatement of pollution from the municipal solid waste and legacy waste, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) issued a direction on 27.01.2021 under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, mandating all State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) to direct the authorities concerned in the States/UTs to take necessary action for biomining and bio remediation of legacy waste dumpsites by following the due procedures. Further, the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM), vide Direction no 91 dated 03.06.2025, directed the concerned agencies in the NCR for taking appropriate actions for management of legacy waste at Sanitary Landfill Sites and Dumpsites, to tackle air pollution through open burning of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) /Open biomass generating Particulate Matter (PM10 & PM2.5) and other harmful gaseous pollutants (NO2, SO2, CO, Dioxins, Furans, etc.), in the region.

As reported by MoHUA, a total of 7 legacy waste dumpsites have been identified for remediation in the Delhi-NCR, which includes 3 dumpsites in Delhi and one dumpsite each at Gurugram, Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad. So far, remediation at 4 dumpsites in NCR region has been completed.

This information was provided by MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE, SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH, in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.

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VM/GS

(Rajya Sabha US Q537)

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