Ghaziabad: Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation has issued notices to 86 residential societies and 35 institutions for their failure to segregate dry and wet waste. This comes just weeks before the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2026, notified by Union environment ministry, comes into effect on April 1. The rules will replace the decade-old system of collecting, transporting and recycling waste in the country.In 2025, the city improved its Swachh Survekshan ranking to 11th from 38th the previous year in the million-plus city category, scoring 11,151 out of 12,500. It was judged on eight parameters, and scored over 90% in all parameters, except under the source segregation head. Under the new rules, the bulk waste generators (BWG) are required to process wet waste on-site. If they are not able to do so, the BWGs need to obtain an extended bulk waste generator responsibility (EBWGR) certificate from the municipality. Any entity with a floor area exceeding 20,000 square metres, or with a water consumption of 40,000 litres per day, or solid waste generation of 100 kg per day, will be considered a bulk waste generator. These include central and state govt departments, local bodies, public sector undertakings, institutions, commercial establishments and residential societies, among others.In solid waste management rules 2016, the bulk waste generator definition did not specify the floor area or water consumption limits of entities. The new rules have a broader definition, which effectively mean more entities could be classified bulk waste generators. “We have issued notices to 86 societies and 35 institutions for failing to segregate wet and dry waste. We want to give them two months to set up a system within the premises for segregation of waste,” said municipal health officer Mithilesh Kumar. “The action assumes importance in view of a recent SC order, which directed effective implementation of SWM 2026.”Municipal commissioner Vikaramaditya Singh Malik said, “As per SWM Rules 2026, the rules provide for the levy of environmental compensation, based on the ‘Polluter Pays’ principle, for non-compliance, including cases of operating without registration. This will give municipalities, including GMC, enough teeth to crack down on violators.”The court also emphasised the need for a synchronised effort between the appointed officers of the local bodies and elected representatives, including the respective mayors, chairpersons, and ward members in corporations, municipalities and gram panchayats.BWGs must ensure waste generated by them is collected, transported and processed in an environmentally sound manner. This provision is expected to reduce the burden on urban local bodies and promote decentralised waste management. The rules also allow for the levy of user fees on waste generators as per the bye-laws of local bodies.
