Extreme Pollution in Himalayan States

Microplastics:

They are created when big plastic items that are disposed of incorrectly break down and fragment.

There has been evidence of microplastic deposition and buildup in rivers, lakes, streams, and the Himalayan ranges.

When snowmelt releases microplastics into rivers, they can remain trapped in glaciers for extended periods of time.

The effect on the Himalayan ecology:

In the Indian Himalayan Region, careless plastic dumping is polluting the land and water.

It is having an effect on biodiversity.

detrimental effect on the freshwater resources that downstream communities rely on.

The plastic trash dilemma in the Indian Himalayan Region is a result of rapid and unplanned urbanisation as well as shifting production and consumption habits.

The situation is getting worse because of the sudden increase in visitor numbers.

Reports:

The Social Development for Communities (SDC) Foundation in Dehradun draws attention to the predicament facing Uttarakhand’s municipalities.

Plastic has overtaken almost all of the mountain states.

The Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board, the Deputy Commissioner Lahaul and Spiti, the Panchayat of Koksar, the MEFCC, and the CPCB received notices from the National Green Tribunal.

on the disposal of rubbish by visitors and businesses in environmentally sensitive areas.

Rather than fish from the wetland, larger adjutant storks have been eating on the plastic garbage in the landfill at the Deepor Beel Ramsar site in Assam.

There has been much coverage of the increasing pollution of Manipur’s rivers, especially the Nambul.

The 2018–21 Himalayan Cleanup:

carried out by the National Productivity Council of India’s waste and brand audit, as well as the Integrated Mountain Initiative with Zero Waste Himalayas

It demonstrates the rise of plastic garbage in the Indian Himalayan Region, particularly non-recyclables.

72% of waste was non-recyclable plastic, accounting for 7% of trash in the Himalayan Cleanup (2022) waste audit data.

The management of plastic trash in India:

Plastic Overshoot Day is observed by Environment Action, a Swiss organisation.

On January 6, 2023, India saw its plastic overshoot day.

India has one of the highest global mismanaged waste indexes (MWI) at 98.55% (after Mozambique, Kenya, and Nigeria).

It represents the discrepancy between plastic usage and waste management capability.

According to a statistical analysis conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) utilising data from CPCBs, India is only recycling 12% of its plastic trash through mechanical recycling.

The legal requirement for waste management:

The regulatory structure:

The 2016 Solid Waste Management Regulations (SWM)

The 2016 Regulations for Plastic Waste Management (PWM)

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), effective 2022

The SWM acknowledges the unique requirements of hilly regions; nevertheless, it does not take these into account when formulating guidelines for local organisations and producers, importers, and brand owners (PIBOs).

PWM and EPR have failed to acknowledge the unique requirements of the hills.

Certain State regulations in Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim prohibit the usage of plastics.

Himachal Pradesh offers a buy-back programme for waste plastic that is single-use and non-recyclable.

Plastic garbage littering is still a major problem.

Sikkim boasts a reasonably strong regulatory framework and outlawed the use of packaged mineral water as of January 2022.

The State is still battling with the problem of handling plastic garbage in the absence of adequate infrastructure.

Mizoram has taken the lead in regulatory matters; in 2019, the Aizawl Municipal Corporation created by-laws under the PWM.

Although the results are not yet apparent, Tripura has changed its policies, passed local bylaws, and established a task force at the state level to eradicate single-use plastic.

What actions are necessary?

The SWM/PWM/EPR collective mandate necessitates waste segregation at the source.

Any approach to dispose of plastic garbage in a sustainable and scientific manner must first separate the various forms of plastics.

Local bodies are responsible for waste management under the SWM, PWM, and EPR, from collection to scientific disposal.

As required by the EPR, they might enlist the assistance of PIBOs in order to set up and operationalize the plastic waste management system.

Despite being the centre of the nation’s waste management system, local entities have not yet received a corresponding amount of authority devolution.

Very few local entities have created by-laws to operationalize the mandate, and few States have passed model by-laws.

When it comes to the Indian Himalayan Region (common in several northeastern States), traditional institutions must be included in the definition of local bodies.

Funding for these established institutions was provided by the Fifteenth Finance Commission and the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM).

The Way Ahead:

The Indian Himalayan Region has to be supported and resourced appropriately, taking into account its great biodiversity, ecological sensitivity, and fragility.

In addition to considering the unique geographic difficulties associated with garbage management in mountains.

Immediate focus must be given to building the infrastructure required for trash management and empowering local bodies.

Waste segregation and public participation in this effort, aided by ongoing public education programmes, are essential.

Targets under the EPR may lose their geographic neutrality if the greater operationalization costs in the mountainous area are properly taken into account.

For each tonne of plastic waste handled, a PIBO in the Indian Himalayan Region may get an EPR certificate worth more than one acquired elsewhere in the nation.

It is necessary to close data gaps about the quantity and kind of garbage produced in the Indian Himalayan Region States.

Infrastructure development, upkeep, and operations might be funded by convergence in already-existing programmes like SBM, the Finance Commission’s awards, and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.

Additional funding could be obtained through the Swachh Bharat Kosh Trust, which was established to help direct charitable donations and corporate social responsibility funds to this initiative.

Numerous cities in the Indian Himalayan Region are chosen under the Smart Cities Initiative and the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT).

On the issues of scientific waste management and eliminating plastic from cities in the Indian Himalayan Region, they may collaborate.