Leh’s solar waste management highlighted in NITI Aayog, CSE report

"Waste-wise Cities: Best practices in municipal solid waste management" – a comprehensive knowledge repository of how Indian cities are managing their solid waste – was recently released by NITI Aayog's Vice Chairperson Rajiv Kumar, and CEO of NITI Aayog, Amitabh Kant.

The new report is the result of a country-wide study and survey conducted by NITI Aayog and CSE for five months since its initiation in July 2021.

In the report, the entire gamut of municipal solid waste management has been seen from a cross-section of 10 different aspects that explains a sustainable value chain.

These thematic aspects range from source segregation, material recovery, and technological innovations to the management of different kinds of wastes and systems such as biodegradables, plastics, e-waste, C&D waste, and landfills.

Bengaluru has emerged as a leader in managing waste using Information Communications Technology solutions, as has Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh, while Delhi and Gurgaon have upheld standards regarding management of construction and demolition waste, according to the report.

Currently, the problems of solid waste, especially plastic, are growing at an alarming pace in Leh, while the tourist footfall is also on the rise.

“In places like Ladakh where the terrain is difficult and the region remains isolated for the most of the year due to extreme climatic conditions, disposable plastic is quite a misfit for this region,” said activists.

The piling garbage in Ladakh is also encouraging the growth of the stray dog population, posing a big threat to the snow leopards.

Several activists have been demanding that plastic needs to be banned in eco sensitive zones like Ladakh.