Story of The Vishwamitri and C&D
Written By Renuka Kshirsagar ( Masters student at Azim Premji University)
INTRODUCTION
In the construction market, India is one of the top five rapidly growing countries. According to the global data report, India will grow at a rate of almost 6% from 2023 to 2026. Looking at the pace of the construction industry in India one can definitely imagine the scale of generation of construction and demolition waste. As per the ‘Building Material Promotion Council’ India generates almost 150 tonnes of construction and demolition waste every year. With the generation of large amounts of waste, the proper management of C&D waste is becoming a growing challenge in a rapidly urbanizing city like Vadodara.
CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION WASTE
Construction and Demolition waste is categorized as ‘Inert Non-biodegradable Waste’ according to the classification given by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). This means that C&D waste cannot be disposed of by nature and the majority of material waste contains is inert.
Generally, the C&D waste is classified into Freshly Dumped and Legacy Waste depending upon the nature and components of the waste. Till now, Legacy waste has not been defined in any official government document; rather it is typically called ‘Aged Municipal Solid Waste’ (Singh, 2022). Normally, “Legacy waste is a mix of partially or completely decomposed biodegradable waste, plastic waste, textiles, metals, glass, and other components” (Environment, 2022)
Before 2016, the construction and demolition waste was covered under the ‘Solid Waste Management Rules, 2000’. The government of India in the year 2016 notified the dedicated ‘Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules, 2016’.
According to the rules, “C&D waste is the waste comprising of building material, debris and rubble resulting from construction, remodelling, repair or demolition of any civil structure”.
Article 243-W of the constitution says, “Municipalities are responsible for the public health, sanitation conservatory, and solid waste management”. Also, as per the provisions of the Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules 2016, the responsibility for implementation lies with the concerned local body.
Despite having a set of rules and constitutional mandates in the field of construction and demolition waste management, the majority of the local bodies do not bother about its implementation and operationalization like in the case of River Vishwamitri in the city of Vadodara.
CASE STUDY
River Vishwamitri: Dumping Site Of C&D Waste
In the history of human civilization, people have settled themselves near the sources of water like rivers. Vadodara is also not an exception. It is located in the state of Gujrat and the city is situated on the banks of the river ‘Vishwamitri’. The river is famous for ‘Indian crocodiles’ (Crocodylus palustris) which is a freshwater species. Due to its meandering nature, the river Vishwamitri forms many ravines, especially in the city of Vadodara. Also, it used to have many local sources of water recharge in the form of tributaries, wetlands, and kans.
However, due to the process of rapid urbanization and economic development, the river lost the majority of its tributaries, wetlands, and kans. One of the prominent reasons behind this significant loss is the rising amount of construction and demolition waste and its dumping across the wetlands and ravines of the river. C&D waste has shifted the natural course of the river and is emerging as the popular reason behind the water logging in the city due to unseasonal rains.
In the history of human civilization, people have settled themselves near the sources of water like rivers. Vadodara is also not an exception. It is located in the state of Gujrat and the city is situated on the banks of the river ‘Vishwamitri’. The river is famous for ‘Indian crocodiles’ (Crocodylus palustris) which is a freshwater species. Due to its meandering nature, the river Vishwamitri forms many ravines, especially in the city of Vadodara. Also, it used to have many local sources of water recharge in the form of tributaries, wetlands, and kans.
However, due to the process of rapid urbanization and economic development, the river lost the majority of its tributaries, wetlands, and kans. One of the prominent reasons behind this significant loss is the rising amount of construction and demolition waste and its dumping across the wetlands and ravines of the river. C&D waste has shifted the natural course of the river and is emerging as the popular reason behind the water logging in the city due to unseasonal rains.
In one of the letters to the Vadodara Administration, Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti has strongly said that “The tributaries, ravines, and wetlands of the Vishwamitri River and its environs have been used as the dumping grounds for construction debris for the last several decades. However, the situation has been exacerbated by the increased construction, demolition, and renovation activities in the city”. (NGT order, 2021). Dumping and leveling of the C&D waste on the wetlands have created the wetlands into ‘sources of economic growth’ as the large infrastructure like ‘Agora Mall’ and ‘Sayaji Hotel’ in the city is constructed on such wetlands. However, this has resulted in the destruction of the wetland ecosystem and the species inhabiting the space.
The root of this destruction can be traced back to the negligence of Vadodara Municipal Corporation towards implementing the rules and guidelines available in the field by the various expert institutions. This negligence is the result of a nexus between the local politicians and the bureaucratic administration of the city. The local politicians portray the dumping of the C&D waste as one of the sources of livelihood (transporting the waste to the site) for the marginal people living in the vicinity of the ravines, kans, and bank of the Vishwamitri river. Also, as this dumping site can act as patches of land for future infrastructure creation like in the case of Agora Mall, the bureaucratic administration supports this negligence towards the rules and guidelines.
RULES AND GUIDELINES
Guidelines for Sustainable Habitat, 2014
Central Public Works Department (CPWD) provided a set of guidelines for the reuse of recycled C&D waste. It provides the ways and precautions for recycling Construction and Demolition Waste. It also emphasizes the need for a ‘deconstruction plan’ for recovering the useful products that can be utilized without much processing. (CPWD, 2014).
Swatch Bharat Mission (SBM), 2014
SBM launched in 2014 under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs aims for 100% processing of Solid waste including C&D waste in major cities and towns. (NITI Aayog, 2018).
Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules 2016
The rules were notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEF&CC) in 2016 via Gazette notification. It aims to address the issue of rising construction and demolition waste and bring uniformity in planning across the state. (Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), 2016)
It defines C&D waste and recognizes the role of various stakeholders like ULBs, generators, pollution control boards, etc. Also, it specifies the duties and responsibilities of the various stakeholders. (Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), 2016)
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) Guidelines on Environmental Management of the C&D Waste, 2017
CPCB issued these guidelines in compliance with Rule 10 of ‘Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rule, 2016’. It aims at reducing the adverse impact arising due to the dumping of C&D waste on the environment.
Guidelines recommend pollution mitigation measures in relation to Construction and Demolition waste. It focuses mainly on the ‘bulk generators’ i.e., cities or towns that generate waste of more than 20 tonnes or the projects that generate more than 300 tonnes in a month. (Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), 2017)
NITI Aayog Strategy for Promoting Processing of C&D Waste and Utilisation of Recycled Products, 2018
This document provides for required strategy to deal with C&D waste. It mentions the best practices of C&D waste management in India along with providing case studies of Delhi and Ahmadabad as one of the pioneer cities that tried to establish the circular economy. Also, it talks about the potential utilization of the C&D waste. (NITI Aayog, 2018)
Utilization of Recycled Produce of Construction & Demolition Waste — A Ready Reckoner, 2018
Building Materials and Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC) under the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs Government of India released these guidelines in 2018. It aims to address the shortage of building materials through recycling and reuse. Also, it gives guidelines for the stakeholders to facilitate the understanding and implementation of ‘Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules 2016’. (NITI Aayog and MoHUA, 2018)
It recommends the in-situ processing of the waste generated at large development projects so as to reduce the cost of the project and the cost to the environment. Moreover, document recommends the ‘Deconstruction’ instead of ‘Demolition’. (NITI Aayog and MoHUA, 2018)
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA)
The Ministry in 2016 through a notification mandated the Central Public Welfare Department (CPWD) for the compulsory use of recycled C&D waste in construction activities of the government projects if the waste is available within 100 Km of the construction site. (Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, 2017). In 2018, the Ministry issued guidelines for towns and cities having a population of more than one million for establishing C&D waste recycling centers.
Looking at above rules and guidelines, one may come under the impression that it can effectively solve the issue of C&D waste management in the country. But this is not the ground reality as these are the separate rules and guidelines issued by the set of expert institutions in the field and hence find less resonance with each other. Yet, if they are consolidated in a single policy framework on construction and demolition waste, their effect can be much more.
In case of Vadodara, implementation of the above rules and guidelines paves the way for sustainable use of the C&D waste, creation of circular economy related to the C&D waste and effective management of the C&D waste in the city without leaving much scope for the dumping leading to the destruction of the Vishwamitri. Yet, the issue that lies with implementation of these guidelines is that it needs technical expertise, administrative cooperation and strong political will to make them suitable for political and administrative atmosphere of the city.
WAY FORWARD
After visiting and surveying the construction and demolition waste dumping sites in the city of Vadodara, we realized that the current scenario can be improved with the proper implementation and operationalization of ‘Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rule, 2016’ as the rule provides the necessary guidelines and solution for the management of the C&D waste. Implementation of the various guidelines as mentioned in the policy section can help in designing feasible solutions to the issue.
Implementation of the Gujrat HC order dated 02.08.2002 which says, “Care will be taken that water bodies are not converted to any other use in the town planning schemes/development plans that may be made hereafter and the Local Authorities and the Area development Authorities will be instructed to ensure that no debris of buildings is dumped by any person or institution in the existing water bodies” will help in dealing with the existing and emerging problems.
The models of Delhi and Ahmedabad are considered to be one of the best practices in C&D waste management. Hence, the suitability and feasibility of this PPP model can be tested for the city of Vadodara by conducting the studies. As the ‘Charted Institute of Building (CIOB)’ Says, “Reducing Construction and demolition waste is not only about being environmentally responsible but; it also makes good business sense.”, Vadodara can also enter into the arena of circular economy particularly in the field of C&D waste. The city can recycle the waste generated in the different wards and produce bricks from it and convert the waste into a monetary value. (CSE Toolkit, 2022)
Also, Vadodara can design its own model suitable for the integrated waste management of the city on the lines of Germany where with the help of simple technology almost 90% of the C&D waste generated is utilized for a wide range of applications.
Among the construction waste, legacy waste is quite an untouched area both in terms of quantification of the waste and its impact on the surrounding ecology. The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) 2.0 operational guidelines make clearing the legacy waste dumping sites obligatory before March 31, 2023, for cities having a population of less than 1 million and remediating the same by March 31, 2024 (Singh, 2022). Hence, attention should be given to quantifying the legacy waste and studying its impacts on the river and wetland ecosystem by conducting scientific studies and research with the help of experts and research institutes working in the field. (Sahana, 2022; Visca et al., 2021)
Also, a small step can be taken in this direction by identifying the potential C&D waste dumping sites and conducting periodic monitoring of the sites with the help of patrolling. Along with this, CCTV can be used for keeping a regular check of the waste. A certain amount of fine can be imposed by the municipal corporation for dumping the waste on these sites. Further, a stretch of land in each zone can be dedicatedly allocated by the corporation for dumping the future C&D waste.
Construction and Demolition Waste Management is one of the crucial challenges, especially in a developing city like Vadodara which demands adequate awareness and education among the people to prevent future crisis situations.
REFERENCES
- Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). (2017, March). GUIDELINES ON ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT OF CONSTRUCTION & DEMOLITION (C & D) WASTES. Central Pollution Control Board. https://cpcb.nic.in/openpdffile.php?id=UmVwb3J0RmlsZXMvNDYwXzE1MDIxNzAwNzJfbWVkaWFwaG90bzEwMDg0LnBkZg==
- Centre For Science and Environment. (2014). 03Construction and demolition waste.qxd:English 18 Factsheet. Centre for Science and Environment. http://cdn.cseindia.org/userfiles/Construction-and%20-demolition-waste.pdf
- Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). (2016). 1 Salient features of Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules, 2016 and its implication Sl.No Construction and Demol. PIB Archive. https://archive.pib.gov.in/documents/rlink/2016/mar/p201632901.pdf
- NITI Aayog. (2018, November 5). Strategy for Promoting Processing of Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste and Utilisation of Recycled Products. | NITI Aayog. https://niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/2019-03/CDW_Strategy_Draft%20Final_011118.pdf
- NITI Aayog and MoHUA. (2018, October). Utilisation of Recycled Produce of Construction & Demolition Waste A ReADy ReCkoneR. BMTPC. https://www.bmtpc.org/DataFiles/CMS/file/PDF_Files/C&D_Ready_Reckoner_BMTPC_web.pdf
- Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. (2017, october 2). Waste to Wealth — A ready reckoner for selection of technologies for management of municipal waste. Swachh Bharat Mission. https://sbmurban.org/storage/app/media/pdf/Waste%20to%20Wealth.pdf
- Central Public Works Department (CPWD). (2014, March). CPWD Guidelines for Sustainable Habitat. CPWD. https://cpwd.gov.in/Publication/Guideleines_Sustainable_Habitat.pdf
- Sarwate, N., Gulati Tewari, K., & Soni, N. A. (n.d.). Building Industry and Construction & Demolition Waste: Case of Vadodara. International Conference on Recent Advances in (Applied) Sciences & Engineering (Raise)12- 13April,2023 organized by Faculty Of Technology & Engineering, The Maharaja Sayajirao University Of Baroda.
- Singh, R. (2022, September 8). LEGACY WASTE MANAGEMENT AND DUMPSITE REMEDIATION TO SUPPORT SWACHH BHARAT MISSION 2.0. Centre for Science and Environment. https://www.cseindia.org/content/downloadreports/11417
- Gujarat High Court Judgement dated 2 August, 2002 in SCA №10621 of 2000 (Shailesh Shah V/s State of Gujarat).
- Vishwamitri River-NGT Order, 228/2020 (National Green Tribunal Principal Bench, Delhi May 25, 2021). Retrieved from http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/files/file/Vishwamitri-river-NGT-order-May25-2021.pdf
- LEGACY WASTE MANAGEMENT AND DUMPSITE REMEDIATION TO SUPPORT SWACHH BHARAT MISSION 2.0 TOOLKIT. (2022). CSE India. https://www.cseindia.org/content/downloadreports/11417
- sahana. (2022, August 24). Untreated legacy waste is polluting the sensitive wetland ecosystem of Deepor Beel. Mongabay-India. https://india.mongabay.com/2022/08/untreated-legacy-waste-is-polluting-the-sensitive-wetland-ecosystem-of-deepor-beel/
- Visca, A., Barra Caracciolo, A., Grenni, P., Rolando, L., Mariani, L., Rauseo, J., Spataro, F., Monostory, K., Sperlagh, B., & Patrolecco, L. (2021). Legacy and Emerging Pollutants in an Urban River Stretch and Effects on the Bacterioplankton Community. Water, 13(23), Article 23. https://doi.org/10.3390/w13233402
