BASE PAPER FOR WORKSHOP ON WASTE MANAGEMENT IN GURGAON
JULY 10, 2013
The Big Picture …

Waste Management is a function of the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) such as municipal bodies
and nagar pallikas. Most ULBs in India typically spend about 60% funds on collection, 20% on
transportation, 15 per cent o segregation and a mere 2% on waste treatment and 3 per cent on
disposal. Large portions of waste in India is being bing disposed in open dumps without
processing as compared to other countries. There is an urgent need for recycling and better
recovery of waste.

Urban Waste typically comprises of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), Construction and
Demolition waste (C&D), biomedical waste, animal carcasses, e-waste, industrial waste as well
as waste water.

Waste management is a priority of various ongoing funding schemes of Government of India
including Jawaharlal Nehru Natioinal Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), Urban Infrastructure
Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT) and incentives by Ministry of
New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) for renewable energy. Despit this, nearly half of municipal
waste generated remains unattended in many cities.

The Indian Government enacted MSW (Handling & Management) Rules in the year 2000. Under
this, all ULBs were supposed to have MSW management systems by end of year 2003. However,
most ULBs have fallen short of the expectation.

Th various stakeholders in waste management ar ULBs at the state and central level, NGOs,
RWAs, citizens, Ministry of Environment and Forest and Pollution Control Boards.
Gurgaon and Waste Management…

Gurgaon is one of the fastest growing cities in India. Rapid development and habitation in the city
is generating all kinds of waste, which is becoming a serious health and sanitation hazard for its
residents. To be sure, apart from MSW waste, Gurgaon generates a lot of e-waste (due to a huge
corporate sector) as well as bio-medical waste ( due to a growing hospital sector). Besides,
industrial waste (including sludge etc) is also generated in large quantities due to growing
industrial base.

The city has an urban area at about 167 square km. and a resident population of about 1,514,085
in 2011. It generates 600 metric tons of Municipal solid waste as pr MCG officials every single
day though some experts put the actual figure to 800-1000 tonnes.

The Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) is th apex body responsible for waste planning
and management in the city. As far as its operational role is concerned, MCG is only responsible
for waste generated in its municipal area (primarily old Gurgaon). Waste management in HUDA
sectors is undertaken by private contractors, RWAs as well as by permanent employees of
HUDA.

The existing waste management in Gurgaon is constrained by institutional weakness, lack of
proper management and operational systems, public apathy, as well as unclear administrative
roles and authority.
Key Issues…

Developers are dumping large amounts of C&D waste in low lying areas and creating massive
landfills near residential colonies.

As for municipal waste, it is a common sight to see commercial markets and jhuggi clusters,
public spaces with litter and garbage strewn all over. This is not only polluting the environment,
water drains are getting clogged and causing water logging and even water contamination.
Dundahera, a slum area close to Udyog Vihar has open garbage dump that is creating a nuisance
for the nearby locality. There are several such dumps in the city.

The Bhandwari solid waste treatment plant that treats the garbage of both Faridabad and Gurgaon
in the outskirts of the city needs to be run efficiently. It has also been awaiting critical expansion.

Besides, a proposal for a C&D waste recycling facility near Kachra Chowk on the GurgaonFaridabad Road has remained stuck for the last 2-3 years. All these issues need urgent action.

The authorities employ its own sanitation staff as well as outsources works to contract agencies
through service contracts. However, contracts have oft reported malpractices and proper
monitoring systems are not in place.

Better infrastructure (such as use of dumper trucks as well as garbage removal tools) and training
of staff and contractors need to be taken up urgently.

Lastly, the civic society and the RWAs need be have better sensitization of waste issues. By
encouraging waste segregation at residential complexes and proper treatment, the overall waste
volume can be reduced significantly.
Collection, Transportation and Disposal of waste
Here are various agencies responsible for collection, transportation and disposal of waste generated within
different areas of Gurgaon:
HUDA area : This is undertaken by private contractors, RWAs as well as by permanent employees of
HUDA. RWAs with financial assistance from HUDA manages the waste generated in sectors. The
infrastructure for solid waste includes 1.5 cum bins, placed in different sectors for collection and 3 refuse
collectors owned by HUDA and tractor-trailer deployed by private contractor. About 30 sanitary staffs are
in the regular role of HUDA and the balance is provided by RWAs and Private contractor.
MCG Area: MCG manages the waste only in the municipal area i.e. Gurgaon Town, with an operational
staff of 387 sanitary workers, under the overall supervision of chief sanitary inspector. Three different
types of waste storage points exist in MCG area viz. Dhalao (community bin), refuse container and the
dumper placer containers. The system of waste collection is predominantly manual, with only 25-30% of
the waste being collected mechanically using dumper placer container, loader and trucks. Waste
transportation is done collectively by municipal and private operator.
Private Developers area: Private developers have engaged private contractors for door todoor collection,
street sweeping, and transportation and disposal of waste. Door-to-Door collection is done by cycle
rickshaws and tractors trolley or dump trucks are used for transportation of waste. In the absence of any
designated site, collected waste is disposed in the vacant land or amenities in the develop area is also done
on contract basis.
Urban Villages: There is no system of waste management in the urban villages (villages within urban
pockets) within the controlled area boundary. Waste is normally thrown in the vacant landwithin or
outside the village limit. As a result, waste is accumulated on the roads, adversely affecting health of the
people and environment of the area.
BOX: MCG Study
As per a study conducted by MCG in 2009, about 400 MT of municipal waste was collected per day in
Gurgaon of which about 110 MT is generated within MCG area and balance is contributed by HUDA
sectors, private developers’ area, and urban villages. Municipal solid waste in Gurgaon, as per Indian
scenario, is expected comprises of 50-52% biodegradable, 12-15% dry recycles and 30-35% inert
component.
The Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) generation of Gurgaon city in different areas are as under:
Table 1.2: MSW Generation (based on study conducted by MCG, 2009)
Sl No.
Area
Total Quantity of MSW
Generated (MT) per day
1.
Gurgaon Old Municipal Area
(MCG)
110
2.
DLF ( Private Developers)
35
3.
Ansal ( Private Developers)
7
4.
HSIIDC area (Industrial area
of HUDA)
70
5.
HUDA area
120
6.
Other Private Developers &
Commercial
58
Total
400
Source: MCG, 2009
Processing and Disposal of Waste
Bhandwari Plant

A 1,000 TPD Combined solid waste management facility plant set up at Bhandwari (FaridabadGurgaon toll road) for processing the MSW for Faridabad (another town) and Gurgaon. The
project has been set up under the PPP mode under JNNURM scheme; 50% fund has been funded
by Govt: of India, 30% by Municipal council of Faridabad, 20% by Govt of Haryana. The land
has been provided by MCG at free of cost with an agreement between MCF & MCG. The MCG
is using the facility for dumping the MSW at the processing plant. No charges are taken for
processing the garbage for MCG. The AKC Developers is the Operator for the plant for 30 years
and the National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC) is the consultant for the setting of
the plant. All monitoring & Administrative control is under MCF. This plant is RDF (Refuse
Derived Fuel) plant. It takes 600 tonnes of waste from Faridabad and 400 tonnes from Gurgaon.

There are some initiatives in the E-waste sector. Companies such as A2Z, Attero and Deshwal
Waste Management Company primarily act as segregators and recyclers. About 50 per cent of ewaste is also purchased by the unorganisied sector.

Some RWAs have employed organic waste converter at their complexes. Machines have been
installed at Beverly Park I, Western Heights, and Palms Society as well as Leisure Valley, Hero
Honda Plant, Anand Group and Classic Golf Resort of ITC.
Action Points and solutions….

An integrated approach using processing, recycling, composting and power generation is
needed to make this city close to a zero waste city status. A number of innovative solutions
exist. Waste to energy plants (using biomethanation technology, RDF inceneration, etc) can
be set up. Composting can help create organic manure which can be sold in the open market.
Construction waste can be converted into tiles and bricks. Iron waste can be converted into
Steel. Waste water can be treated and put to reuse. Sludge can also be recycled. All these are
capital intensive projects, so such projects can be taken up under the Public Private
Partnership mode.


The authorities can instantly take action on the following. The Bandwari plant is running suboptimally. Within two years of operation, already 50 per cent land has been occupied by
garbage in the plant. More capacity can be added to the plant.
Besides, a proposal for a facility near Kachra Chowk on the Gurgaon-Faridabad Road has
remained stuck for the last 2-3 years. The authorities need to start moving the files on the
same. If the area earmarked falls under the protected Aravalli Range, then an alternate site be
identified soon.

The most important concern currently is to reduce the land requirement for disposal of waste
by maximize appropriate treatment of different waste streams, in order to reduce volumes of
waste requiring being land-filled. Besides, reservation of land for processing and disposal of
waste in the Zonal Plans is also suggested.

To further stop such pile up of C&D waste, a policy should direct Builders to throw C&D
waste at approved sites and get the approvals during the Planning stage itself.

Corporates need to be encouraged to sell waste to only proper segregators and recyclers and
not to the unorganized sector. More and more small players in the unorganized sector should
come in the organized net.

In order to mitigate adverse impact to the environment, the immediate development of
incineration process is proposed. Alongside this, the closure, capping and landscaping of
existing dump-sites would have to be undertaken.

Authorities should earmark funds for processing and treatment of waste. A composting plant
with segregated compostable waste at a local level or at the city level can also be considered.
Authorities should also earmark funds for better infrastructure. Tailor made dumper trucks (
instead of open trucks) especially designed for waste should be incorporated. The transfer
stations also need better design.

There should also be an institutional framework for coordination amongst stakeholders.

Some initiatives have been taken in different states to address the issue of C&D waste
independently or in tandem with the existing Municipal solid Waste (Management and
Handling) rules 2000. Maharashtra for instance has taken a pioneering step to include a
separate collection and disposal of debris and bulk waste in its action plan. The Municipal
Corporation of Greater Mumbai has enacted the “construction, Demolition and De-silting
Waste (Management and Disposal) Rules. Haryana could also follow suit. Haryana so far also
does not have an e-waste policy as of now.


Citizens should be made aware of source segregation of waste. The city’s RWAs can be
encouraged to deploy organic waste converter machines at the local level that can convert
waste into high value manure. For this to happen, community level participation at the
generation source for proper segregation of waste is a must. These measures provide
employment opportunities as well as helps in recovering economic value from waste.

Capacity building at the level of the authorities is a must along with removal of malpractices
in the contracting system also need urgent attention. A proper wing under MCG should be
developed for waste management. Sustained training in modern practices and motivation for
all the municipal staff as well as staff of any private operator involved in waste management
is needed.

In conclusion, what is needed is a clear waste management policy at the level of MCG, fast
action on planned projects, and a greater involvement of public. All these together will surely
bring the turnaround.