G.O. (Ms) No.47, Guidelines for Planning and Implementation of Solid Waste Management Systems in Rural Areas, 2015

What the government changed

G.O. (Ms) No.47 dated 26 March 2015 changes the implementation approach previously approved by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (CGS.1) Department. Approximately Rs.110 crore from the Rs.155.90 crore earmarked for Solid and Liquid Waste Management projects for 2014-15 may be used to introduce solid waste management systems in 2,000 Village Panchayats under Stream II.

The programme is a pilot. Further expansion may be considered based on the success of the pilot projects.

Who and what it affects

G.O. (Ms) No.47 applies to selected rural Village Panchayats and guides district authorities, Panchayat bodies and participating communities. It covers the collection, removal, segregation, recycling and safe disposal of solid waste.

Priority is given to Village Panchayats meeting one or more of these conditions:

• Population above 10,000.
• Location next to a Corporation, Municipality or Town Panchayat.
• Tourism or pilgrimage importance.
• Major bus stands or railway stations handling floating populations.
• Large industrial, commercial or educational establishments.
• Location along four lane roads, OMR, ECR or National Highways.
• Large shandies.
• Status as Block or Taluk headquarters.

Key implementation provisions

The approved guidelines provide for:

• A habitation or cluster based action plan involving the local community.
• A Gram Sabha resolution supporting solid waste management with local participation.
• Planning at Village Panchayat level where there is one habitation, and separate habitation planning where there are several.
• Participation by Village Poverty Reduction Committees or, where those committees are dormant, Panchayat Level Federations.
• One tricycle for every 300 households, after accounting for tricycles already sanctioned.
• One shredding machine and one cleaning machine for each district.
• A one time grant of Rs.25,000 for cleaning implements and Rs.10,000 for contingencies for each identified Village Panchayat.
• One worker for every 150 households, with Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme funding for the first 100 days and Solid Waste Management funding for the remaining days worked during the first year.
• A jacket, cap and pair of gloves for each worker.
• Excavation of dumping pits through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

Waste segregation and disposal

The guidelines require disposal without contaminating groundwater, surface water or ambient air. Waste must be separated into organic, inorganic, recyclable and hazardous categories before final disposal. Segregation and storage locations must be identified at habitation level, and an unused government building may be used for this purpose.