A Comprehensive Urban Solid Waste and Water Treatment Strategy
Background: The Mounting Crisis of Urban Waste Management in India
Solid waste management (SWM) in India remains one of the most pressing urban governance challenges of the 21st century. Although constitutionally mandated as an obligatory function of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), the capacity to manage municipal solid waste (MSW) varies greatly across cities and towns, often failing to keep pace with urban growth, rising consumption, and demographic pressures. This failure is most pronounced in densely populated urban centres, where the volume of waste is overwhelming, and resources for management remain stretched.
India currently generates about 0.1 kg, 0.3–0.4 kg, and 0.5 kg of waste per capita per day in small, medium, and large cities, respectively. With increasing per capita income and lifestyle changes, these numbers are expected to rise further, placing India in comparison with other Southeast Asian countries, such as Indonesia (0.7 kg), Thailand (1.05 kg), and even Singapore (3.76 kg) (Jain, 2017). This growth trajectory points towards a future where waste generation far exceeds the capacity of most ULBs to manage it responsibly, unless urgent and innovative interventions are undertaken (PM-EAC 2024 Working Paper).
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) 2020–21 report, the total solid waste generated across the country stands at 160,038.9 tonnes per day (TPD). Out of this, 152,749.5 TPD is collected, indicating a relatively efficient primary collection system. However, only 79,956.3 TPD (50%) of the collected waste is processed in any meaningful way. A concerning 29,427.2 TPD (18.4%) ends up in landfills, and a massive 50,655.4 TPD (31.7%) remains completely unaccounted for, either dumped in open grounds, burned, or left to pollute waterways and ecosystems.
The scale of neglect becomes clearer when one considers the 3,184 dumpsites identified across the country. Of these, only 234 have been reclaimed, and 8 converted into engineered landfills, underscoring the limited capacity and slow pace of remediation efforts. Poorly managed waste not only pollutes land and water but also contributes significantly to climate change. In April 2022, Delhi alone emitted methane at a rate of 434 tonnes per hour, a level comparable to the pollution caused by 68 million petrol cars running simultaneously.
Delhi provides a sharp snapshot of the urban waste crisis. According to the Delhi Economic Survey 2023–24, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) generates approximately 11,000 TPD of waste, with additional contributions from New Delhi Municipal Council (311 TPD) and Delhi Cantonment Board (65 TPD). While the city operates four Waste-to-Energy (WTE) plants with a combined capacity of 6,550 TPD and an overall processing infrastructure of 8,224.5 TPD, this still accounts for only 72.3% of the total waste. Nearly 35% of Delhi's waste is still disposed of in an unsatisfactory and environmentally harmful manner, further straining landfill sites and air quality.
The financial limitations of ULBs further exacerbate the issue. A significant portion of municipal budgets is allocated toward administrative expenses, especially salaries, leaving limited funding for infrastructure upgrades in waste and water management. According to a report by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), India generates over 62 million tonnes (MT) of waste annually. Of this, only 43 MT is collected, and a mere 12 MT is treated, while the remaining 31 MT is indiscriminately discarded, primarily in open wasteyards. CPCB projections estimate that by 2030, the annual waste generation will rise to 165 MT, with proportional increases expected in hazardous waste, plastics, biomedical waste, and e-waste.
While the national scenario paints a grim picture, there are noteworthy exceptions that highlight the path forward. The city of Indore has emerged as a pioneer, leveraging a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model to achieve near-total success in both solid waste and wastewater management. Indore has not only become one of the cleanest cities in India under the Swachh Survekshan rankings, but has also turned waste into a revenue-generating resource through composting, recycling, and efficient WTE practices. The success of Indore proves that with the right mix of technology, accountability, policy enforcement, and citizen participation, Indian cities can overcome the SWM crisis and create scalable models for urban sustainability.
In summary, India’s SWM challenge is not just technical or financial. It is deeply structural and behavioural. The diversity of the country in terms of geography, population density, culture, and income levels demands customised regional strategies rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. However, the need for robust national leadership, standard enforcement, and consistent investment in waste infrastructure has never been more urgent. As urban India marches toward 2030, the time to act decisively is now.
Vision and Objectives for Cleaner, Greener Cities
The goal is clear: by 2030, Indian cities must become clean, waste-smart, and water-resilient. This requires systemic changes rooted in a circular economy, where waste is not just discarded, but processed, recycled, and monetised. The focus must shift from reactive waste collection to proactive segregation, processing, and reuse, accompanied by a robust water recycling framework that prevents industries from using freshwater for non-essential purposes. A combination of citizen behaviour change, strict regulatory enforcement, and financial innovation will be the foundation of this mission.
From Household Bins to Urban Ecosystems: Making Segregation Universal
The journey begins at home. Households must be encouraged and compelled, where necessary, to segregate waste into at least two streams: wet (biodegradable) and dry (non-biodegradable). To institutionalise this behaviour, the government must ensure the mandatory adoption of colour-coded dual bins across all urban centres, distributing them free or at a subsidised rate in low-income neighbourhoods. Currently, we recycle only 13% of our non-agricultural waste. By improving this rate, we can make a massive environmental impact, transforming waste into valuable resources.
Going a step further, India must emulate successful international practices, such as those in Japan, Germany, and Sweden, where zonal hubs are created to segregate complex waste streams, especially electronic waste, textiles, batteries, and bulk items. These designated segregation centres, established on government land within each municipal zone, will enable citizens to responsibly dispose of old clothes, defunct appliances, and gadgets without contaminating the general waste stream. These facilities, when managed well, also generate income through resale, recycling, and refurbished product markets.
Turning Trash into Cash: Valorising Bio-Waste and Creating Urban Forests
Biodegradable waste holds immense potential if treated scientifically. Organic kitchen waste and garden trimmings can be processed into bio-manure, an increasingly popular substitute for chemical fertilisers. Cities like Indore, which have won accolades for their waste management, have demonstrated the economic value of bio-composting. Indore’s decentralised composting model not only diverted 80% of its wet waste from landfills but also generated revenue by selling bio-compost to farmers and municipal nurseries.
This bio-manure can be further utilised to nurture urban forests, green belts, and city parks, supporting the government’s “Amrit Vatika” initiative or other city-level plantation drives. In a circular loop, household waste returns to the soil, enriching the environment and improving air quality in cities choked with dust and emissions. Municipal corporations must set up dedicated bio-composting units and incentivise private players to develop micro-composting centres at ward or neighbourhood levels.
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| Image Credits: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs |
Revolutionising Urban Water: From Wastewater to Reuse
India’s urban industries, particularly construction, textiles, and power plants, consume massive volumes of freshwater, much of which is drawn unsustainably from groundwater sources. This must stop. The government must legislate a complete ban on the use of fresh water for non-essential industrial processes by 2026. Instead, treated wastewater must become the default source. For this, India needs a national-scale expansion of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) equipped with closed-loop systems, such as the one at Antony Waste’s Pimpri Chinchwad facility, which recycles water from sewage and eliminates the need for freshwater.
Urban local bodies should partner with private operators to scale up decentralised STPs near industrial hubs, ensuring efficient collection, treatment, and reuse of greywater. At the same time, construction companies must be made legally liable for sourcing treated water, with a Green Water Cess imposed on violators.
Creating Jobs and Green Enterprises from Waste
The urban waste sector holds untapped potential to create over 1 million green jobs by 2030. From waste pickers to recycling entrepreneurs, from compost producers to repair economy startups—each player can be a cog in a vast circular economy. Public-private partnerships should prioritise material recovery facilities (MRFs), waste-to-energy (WTE) plants, and bio-mining operations. Municipal bodies must reserve contracts for worker-owned collectives or NGOs that engage with informal waste workers, thereby bringing dignity and regular income to a vulnerable section of society.
Companies like Antony Waste Handling Cell (AWHC), India’s only listed MSW company, are already showing the way. Their Kanjurmarg facility in Mumbai processes nearly 90% of the city’s MSW, while their WTE plant in Pune generates 14 MW of clean power daily. By embracing innovations such as RFID bin tracking, GPS-based collection routing, and bio-reactor landfills, these companies demonstrate that waste management can be both scalable and profitable.
Financing the Transformation: The Role of Green Funds and Global Partnerships
Transforming Indian cities will require serious financial investment. Government allocations under the Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 and the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) must be augmented with international climate finance. Institutions such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, GIZ, and the Green Climate Fund are natural allies in this journey. A dedicated Urban Waste and Water Sovereign Fund, with an initial corpus of ₹10,000 crore, should be created, tapping both international and domestic green bonds, municipal bonds, and climate-focused venture capital.
This fund will support waste infrastructure, STPs, composting plants, and R&D in recycling technologies. To encourage market participation, the government should provide Viability Gap Funding (VGF) and Production Linked Incentives (PLI) for startups and companies engaged in circular economy solutions. Some of the existing funds which are actively investing in waste management companies are Green Growth Equity Fund (GGEF), which is India’s largest climate-aligned impact fund (~$944 m), with a dedicated allocation toward waste and water management platforms such as waste-to-energy firms like EverEnviro. Municipal bodies can also consider sourcing capital from the public through Municipal Green Funds, as seen in Pimpri Chinchwad, which raised ₹200 crore (oversubscribed by 5 times) for sewage and solid waste treatment. Major municipal bodies, such as Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), can explore such financial models.
Changing the Culture: Making Segregation and Sustainability a Way of Life
Beyond infrastructure and financing, the battle must be won in people’s minds. Schools must play a pivotal role in cultivating sustainability habits. From Grade 6 onwards, the CBSE and state boards should mandate environment and waste education, with practical modules on composting, segregation, and water conservation. Schools and colleges must become "Zero Waste Campuses" by 2028, with certification awarded through local municipal bodies.
Public awareness campaigns, run through mass media, social media influencers, cinema, and OTT platforms, must normalise waste segregation as a social responsibility. Cities should conduct regular “Clean Street Challenges” and “Compost Carnivals,” building citizen pride in waste-smart living.
Conclusion: From Pollution to Prosperity, Powered by Policy
The Indian urban landscape is poised for a revolution. By treating waste as a resource, banning fresh water misuse, and investing in people-led behavioural change, India can build cities that are not just clean but also resilient, green, and inclusive. The time for voluntary compliance is over, the government must step in with a firm hand, ensuring that policies are implemented not based on political compromise, but on environmental urgency and economic logic. What remains is the will to implement it, backed by clear timelines, citizen engagement, and unwavering governance. Because in the India of tomorrow, a waste-free, water-wise city must no longer be an aspiration; it must be the new normal.
*Many firms like Recykal and NEPRA have gone beyond waste to enable Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) compliance.
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