Question 14 from UPSC CSE 2019 - Environment

Question

As per the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 in India, which one of the following statements is correct?

IASCODEX · Accepted Answer

Correct Option: C. The Rules provide for exact and elaborate criteria for the identification of sites for landfills and waste processing facilities

Strategy: Focus on the precision demanded by each option. Options A and D are extreme or inaccurate — the waste must be segregated into three (not five) categories, and there is no rule mandating that waste cannot be moved between districts. Option B restricts applicability, but in reality, the Rules apply much more broadly. Option C is correct: the 2016 Rules lay down detailed and elaborate criteria for landfill and processing site selection and operation — this specificity matches the official provisions.

Key Info: The Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 (under Environment Protection Act, 1986) are the principal regulations concerning urban, peri-urban, and rural waste management in India. These Rules apply to every individual, all residential and non-residential premises, including bulk waste generators, local bodies, Gram Panchayats, railways, airports, SEZs, pilgrimage centers, and industrial townships—making them exceptionally comprehensive.

Under these Rules, waste generators must segregate waste at source into three streams: biodegradable, non-biodegradable (dry), and domestic hazardous waste. Option A, which mentions five categories, is factually incorrect.

For landfill and waste processing facilities, the Rules prescribe detailed criteria for site identification, including aspects of location, local geology, hydrology, distance from habitation, water bodies, floodplains, and required buffer zones. There are technical specifications for the development, operation, and closure of sanitary landfills, and processes for rehabilitation of old dump sites. Criteria are also defined specifically for hilly areas and for waste-to-energy processes.

The Rules do not prohibit the movement of waste across districts if local facilities are inadequate, subject to State/UT government approval. They promote integrated, scientific, and environmentally sound waste management, with an emphasis on minimizing landfill use, maximizing resource recovery, and involving the informal sector. Enforcement of these rules involves the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), State/UT Pollution Control Boards, and local authorities.

IASCODEX · Answer

Option A: Waste generators have to segregate waste into five categories

IASCODEX · Answer

Option B: The Rules are applicable to notified urban local bodies, notified towns and all industrial townships only

IASCODEX · Answer

Option D: It is mandatory that waste generated in one district cannot be moved to another district