Decentralising Waste Management: Lessons from the Majuli and Tawang Models

India’s waste-management challenge is increasingly extending beyond urban centres. Rising consumption, plastic use and packaged goods are generating larger volumes of non-biodegradable waste in rural and remote areas.

  • The Majuli (Assam) and Tawang (Arunachal Pradesh) models demonstrate how decentralisation, community ownership and locally adapted financing can strengthen rural waste management.

The Scale of India’s Waste Challenge

  • India generated around 1.70 lakh tonnes of municipal solid waste per day in 2021-22.
  • About 1.56 lakh tonnes was collected, of which nearly 54% was treated and 24% deposited in landfills.
  • Around 22% remained unaccounted for, indicating gaps across the collection-to-treatment chain.
  • India could generate nearly 435 million ....
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