Patiala: The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) organised a capacity-building workshop on the new Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2026, ahead of their rollout from April 1, to improve preparedness among officials for implementation.The training programme, held at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration, Chandigarh, focused on key changes in the revised rules, which update the 2016 framework and emphasise scientific waste management, segregation at source and greater accountability.Around 268 officials, including executive officers of urban local bodies, SWM nodal officers and PPCB staff, participated in the session, which aimed to clarify roles and implementation mechanisms under the new regime.Dhamodharan K, assistant professor at Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology (TIET), led a session on key provisions and implementation challenges, while Akshit Kapil, assistant environmental engineer at PPCB, outlined the major changes and their field-level implications.PPCB said the workshop was part of a broader effort to build capacity across departments and ensure a smoother rollout of the new rules across the state.
