To address the countrys escalating waste crisis, the Indian Pollution Control Association (IPCA) organised a National Solid Waste Management Conference on Sunday at The Ashok Hotel in New Delhi. Themed Transformative Approaches for Sustainable Solid Waste Management, the conference brought together over 250 experts, policymakers, and stakeholders from across India to deliberate on innovative strategies for waste reduction and sustainable urban living. The conference was organised under the CSR initiative of the Swarn Lata Madarsen Trust through Project SORT, a community-focused program launched in 2018 that emphasises waste segregation at source, local treatment of waste and behavioural change among the public, particularly bulk waste generators. Over the years, Project SORT has been instrumental in promoting citizen-led waste solutions and supports the broader goals of the national Swachh Bharat mission. Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Tokhan Sahu, addressed the gathering virtually and stressed the importance of collective effort in managing urban waste. We must work collectively with society to turn the vision of zero waste into reality, he said. I thank the organisers for laying the foundation of this change by involving youth, the general public and institutions. Delhi Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh, who attended the conference as the chief guest, echoed similar sentiments. In his address, he emphasised the urgent need to decentralise waste management and promote processing at the local level. If every colony resolves to become waste-free, the garbage mountains in Delhi can be eliminated. When waste is processed at the source, there will be no need for dumping grounds, he said. The government will provide full support, but real change will only come through public participation. The event was also attended by several senior government officials including Binay Kumar Jha, Director of the Swachh Bharat Mission Satyendra Kumar from NITI Aayog and Vandana Rao, IAS, District Magistrate of West Delhi. Experts from institutions such as IIT Delhi, NDMC and NITI Aayog presented data-driven insights and case studies demonstrating the effectiveness of decentralised waste systems and the importance of citizen engagement. The conference saw engaging discussions on key issues such as the need to harmonise centralised and decentralised waste management policies, challenges in the disposal of organic waste across urban and rural sectors and successful models of community leadership in environmental stewardship. Speakers highlighted the urgency of moving away from landfill dependency and investing in infrastructure that supports composting, recycling and waste-to-energy conversion. The event concluded with a felicitation ceremony honouring individuals and organisations that have demonstrated exceptional commitment to environmental sustainability. Volunteers associated with Project SORT were awarded certificates in recognition of their contributions to grassroots waste management efforts.

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