New Delhi: Now condoms, diapers, sanitary pads/napkins and tampons will come with pouches or wrappers that would ensure their proper disposal.
Under the revised rules, the environment ministry has called on manufacturers or Brand Owners or marketing companies of sanitary napkins and diapers to explore the possibility of using all recyclable materials in their products and providing a pouch or wrapper for disposal of each napkin or diapers along with the packet of their sanitary products.
Centre's move also comes in the wake of the reluctance of ragpickers to handle used sanitary pads, diapers and condoms, if not wrapped.
The new provisions also asks manufacturers, brand owners and marketing companies to educate the masses on proper disposal of the products.
No person should throw, burn or bury solid waste generated by him on streets, open public spaces, or in the drain, or water bodies," the rules say.
Under the rules, organisers of events or gatherings of more than 100 people --- whether a wedding or a political rally, at a licensed or unlicensed site --- must ensure segregation of waste and its handover to collectors specified by the local authorities.
The solid waste management rules, 2016, issued by the ministry also, propose the introduction of "user fees" to be paid by "waste generators" - households, markets and offices - to local authorities for waste collection.
They also require street food vendors, housing societies, political rallies and even wedding organisers to take steps for appropriate disposal of the wastes they generate.
Some of these rules do already exist in many states but are hardly ever enforced.
According to the environment ministry, India generates about 62 million tonnes of waste each year, of which only about 43 million tonnes is collected. Of the collected waste, 12 million tonnes is treated while 31 million tonnes is dumped in landfill sites.
.It is estimated that 90 per cent of the funds are currently used up for managing networks for collection and transportation of waste.
The new rules will be implemented across the country by local civic authorities, which have also been empowered to charge a 'user fee' from bulk waste generators and impose a 'spot fine' for littering and non-segregation of wastes at source.
Though the rules came into force on Tuesday, local authorities and 'panchayats' of all census towns and urban agglomerations have been given a six-month window to prepare a solid waste management plan.
