Scientific waste disposal key, violators to face fines: Mandya DC

Mandya: Deputy commissioner Kumara on Tuesday stressed that scientific disposal of solid waste is a collective responsibility and called for effective segregation of wet and dry waste at the household level, along with large-scale public awareness campaigns to ensure proper waste management practices.

He was speaking after inaugurating a one-day workshop on the Solid Waste Management Rules 2026, jointly organised by the District Urban Development Cell and the City Municipal Council at the auditorium of Mandya University. Addressing municipal commissioners, chief officers, health inspectors, sanitation staff and officials of urban local bodies, Kumara said the latest rules, introduced in accordance with Supreme Court directives, mandate segregation of waste into four categories — wet, dry, sanitary, and special care.

He directed all urban local bodies to strictly implement scientific methods for the collection, transportation, processing and disposal of segregated waste. He further instructed officials to impose penalties without fail on individuals, institutions or organisations that violate the new norms.

The DC warned that improper disposal of solid waste poses serious threats to public health, the environment and the economy, adding that maintaining clean surroundings is essential for a healthy society. He also instructed local bodies to ensure that dry waste reaching Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) is further classified into recyclable, non-recyclable, combustible and inert categories before final disposal.

Emphasising that public awareness is crucial for the success of the new rules, he asked health officers, environmental engineers and sanitation workers to conduct regular ward visits and practical demonstrations to change public attitudes towards waste segregation and disposal.

Speaking on the occasion, Narasimhamurthy, project officer of the District Urban Development Cell, highlighted the importance of systematically training municipal staff and sanitation workers to effectively enforce the four-category segregation system across urban areas.

Additional superintendent of police Thimmaiah, social welfare department deputy director Srinivas, City Municipal Council commissioner Pampashree, executive engineers Pratap and Sundar Raj, and resource person Raghavendra were among those present at the workshop.