Reclaiming the Land Beneath the Waste

Key Highlights:

• The Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U), launched in October 2014, and its successor SBM-U 2.0 (October 2021) are driving the remediation of urban legacy dumpsites.
• Between January and December 2025, 3.66 crore metric tonnes of legacy waste were remediated across India.
• During this period, 459 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in 29 States achieved complete dumpsite remediation.
• Initiatives like Lakshya Zero Dumpsite and the Dumpsite Remediation Accelerator Programme (DRAP) are fast-tracking scientific remediation efforts nationwide.
• Notable transformations include Gorakhpur's 40-acre dumpsite into Kachre Se Kanchan Rapti Eco Park and Delhi's Bhalswa site, where 99.07 lakh metric tonnes were remediated by July 2026.

Detailed Insights:

• SBM-U has expanded its focus beyond basic sanitation to comprehensive urban waste management and creating productive city spaces.
• Scientific remediation processes like biomining are used to separate waste into refuse-derived fuel, black soil, recyclables, and inert material.
• Reclaimed land is being repurposed into public amenities such as eco-parks, integrated waste processing facilities, and ecological zones.
• The Bhalswa dumpsite in Delhi saw accelerated remediation under DRAP, with over half the site reclaimed by May 2026.
• Nagpur's Bhandewadi dumping yard has been transformed into an Integrated Municipal Solid Waste Processing Facility, reducing landfill dependence.
• In Raichur, Karnataka, the Yakalaspura dumpsite was remediated, and a Miyawaki forest was planted, demonstrating "Toxic Waste to Ecological Wealth."
• The long-term sustainability of these efforts is ensured through City Solid Waste Action Plans and annual Swachh Survekshan rankings.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Legacy Waste: Accumulated municipal solid waste in dumpsites over many years, often unscientifically disposed.
• Biomining: A process using mechanical and biological methods to reclaim land and recover resources from legacy waste dumpsites.
• Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF): Fuel produced from various types of waste, such as municipal solid waste, used as an energy source.
• Miyawaki Forest: A method of afforestation that involves planting diverse native species in close proximity to create dense, fast-growing forests.