Way To Clean Our Clogged Cities

ITH plastic waste clogging the drains, just a pre-monsoon shower was enough to flood parts of Mumbai a few weeks ago, with plastic waste often clogging the drains.

- ADEEL KHAN Programme Associate at the Council on Energy, Environment and Water

ITH plastic waste clogging the drains, just a pre-monsoon shower was enough to flood parts of Mumbai a few weeks ago, with plastic waste often clogging the drains. This is not an isolated incident. Across Indian cities, growing waste is a major concern and its poor management is becoming an urban emergency. Urban India now produces over 62 million tonnes of solid waste each year, a figure projected to rise to 165 million tonnes by 2030.

The growing gap between waste generation and its proper management threatens to disrupt civic services and turn open burning into a major urban issue. With more than 877 million people expected to live in Indian cities by 2050, managing waste effectively is critical to building resilient and healthy cities.

While flagship initiatives like the Swachh Bharat Mission have pushed waste treatment from 18 percent in 2014 to 55 percent in 2021, systemic gaps still persist. Its second phase envisions 'garbage-free cities' by eliminating open dumping, ensuring 100 percent scientific treatment and remediating legacy waste from existing dumpsites. Cities like Indore, Navi Mumbai and Surat are now setting national benchmarks by aligning with these targets through sustained leadership, citizen participation and robust infrastructure.

Analysis by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) of well-performing cities under the Swachh Survekshan survey highlights the importance of diagnosing the root causes of persistent urban waste challenges. We recommend four interventions.