In a major step toward improving rural sanitation, the Himachal Pradesh government has introduced Model Bye-Laws for Solid Waste Management and Sanitation–2025 under Section 188 of the Himachal Pradesh Panchayati Raj Act, 1994. These new regulations aim to enhance waste management systems across the state’s villages.
According to a spokesperson from the Rural Development Department, all Gram Panchayats are mandated to adopt these model bye-laws within six months. The guidelines emphasize critical measures such as waste segregation at the source, door-to-door collection, enforcement of penalties for non-compliance, and collection of user charges from households and businesses.
The revenue generated through user fees and penalties will be reinvested into maintaining sanitation infrastructure and employing personnel for daily waste collection tasks. Panchayats are given autonomy to determine the amount of these charges and fines based on local needs.
Designed to combat the growing solid waste challenge in rural areas, the bye-laws also seek to empower residents by making sanitation services a regular and accountable public offering. The framework ensures that the financial assistance provided by the state is effectively utilized.
Under the new system, Gram Panchayats will coordinate daily waste collection through designated pickers or authorized agencies. The waste will be sorted at local segregation sheds—recyclables will be sold, while non-recyclables will be sent to block-level processing units and finally to cement factories for environmentally safe co-processing. Agreements have already been signed with cement plants to handle this waste responsibly.
Nurturing Creativity – Keekli Charitable Trust, Shimla
