Curation Team
NEW DELHI: In its latest waste management report submitted to chief minister Rekha Gupta, Municipal Corporation of Delhi has outlined plans to add 100 more areas to the list of zero waste colonies by May 2026. It aims to process an additional 25 tonnes of waste per day. Another 100 colonies are expected to be included by May 2027.
Currently, Delhi has 633 certified zero waste areas, including 593 colonies, group housing societies, residents’ welfare associations (RWAs) and 40 institutes, collectively segregating and processing compost waste of around 100 tonnes on a daily basis.
Although the initiative was launched in Sept 2022 under “Swachhta Abhiyan”, progress appears modest relative to Delhi’s total of over 1,800 colonies, in addition to unauthorised and village areas. Civic officials attribute the slow pace to a lack of space to set up logistics for waste segregation and composting, behavioural issues, a lack of seriousness in segregating waste, and stringent criteria required for zero waste certification.
In a zero waste colony, garbage is segregated into wet waste, dry waste, sanitary, domestic hazardous and e-waste. Processing of waste is done within the colony premises and then wet waste is disposed of through decentralised composting and dry waste through authorised recyclers.
“To motivate people to become part of the initiative, we introduced the concept of ‘Harit Mitra’ and the ‘Sahbhagita’ scheme in 2022 which included incentivising or felicitating RWAs. Harit Mitras are basically responsible for the maintenance of gardens and parks adopted by RWAs and in situ wet waste composting. In Sahbhagita areas, 100% waste segregation and 100% composting of the wet waste is done within the colony. Further, it ensures 100% recycling of recyclable dry waste and 100% handling of the remaining dry waste by MCD or its authorised agencies,” said an official.
Sahbhagita colonies are incentivised by utilising 10% of the property tax collected or a maximum rebate of Rs 1 lakh for taking up work at the recommendation of the local RWAs. This incentive shall be available only if the RWA concerned achieves at least 90% property tax compliance in the area under it.
MCD currently has 338 Sahbhagita colonies and 255 Harit Mitra colonies. “We have given targets to each zone to add more planned areas or group housing societies,” said the official.
Officials claimed that the concept would be economically as well as ecologically effective for the capital, as it would reduce the cost of collection and transportation, and pressure on landfills would be reduced. “But tapping the entire city is a big challenge unless we get cooperation from the residents. That’s why no deadline is given for covering the entire Delhi,” the official explained.
Residents said that they raised their concerns over the conditions for giving incentives. “Achieving a zero waste colony is not an easy thing because in a colony there are hundreds of houses and not everyone is willing to contribute dedicatedly every day in providing segregated waste. Also, RWAs need to engage dedicated staff, space for processing waste, monitor operations, and arrange for alternatives in case composting plants, etc., won’t work. In comparison, the terms and conditions set up by MCD to incentivise those working hard are difficult to achieve,” said a resident of IP Extension.
Ruby Makhija, of Navjiwan Vihar Colony, which is among the first few zero waste colonies in Delhi, stated that they met with senior officials after which a decision was taken to remove the Rs 1 lakh cap on development works. Some rebate in user charges is also expected for such colonies, according to sources.
