Smart City Gnosys
Smart city article details
| Title | Sustainable Solid Waste Management Challenges In Hill Cities Of Developing Countries: Insights From Eastern Himalayan Smart Cities Of Sikkim, India |
|---|---|
| ID_Doc | 54058 |
| Authors | Rai S.; Gurung A.; Bhakta Sharma H.; Prakash Ranjan V.; Ravi Sankar Cheela V. |
| Year | 2024 |
| Published | Waste Management Bulletin, 2, 2 |
| DOI | http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.wmb.2024.02.009 |
| Abstract | Rapid urbanization and the growing tourism industry in the Himalayan region have raised significant concerns about the sustainable handling and management of solid waste in the area. This concern is particularly pronounced in the unique and vulnerable ecosystem of cities nestled in the eastern Indian Himalayas, where geography, ecology, and socio-economic factors converge to create distinctive challenges. This study undertakes a thorough investigation of solid waste management practices and challenges in two smart cities nestled in the eastern Himalayan region of India, specifically Gangtok and Namchi. The primary objective was to unveil the complex challenges confronting these cities by conducting an in-depth exploration of waste management practices. This comprehensive investigation was achieved through the collection of samples, conducting surveys within each ward of the cities, and performing physicochemical characterization analyses. The study also proposes a solution-oriented approach leveraging life cycle analysis. Despite the Himalayan backdrop, waste generation varies significantly, with Gangtok producing substantially more waste (50 tons per day (TPD)) compared to Namchi (4.6 TPD). Both cities excel in waste collection, but Gangtok leads in proactive treatment, with 22% (11 TPD) undergoing composting and recycling. However, shared challenges at riverside disposal sites, including overfilled dumpsites and leachate contamination, pose potential environmental hazards amid the Himalayan allure. Organic waste predominates at 40.9% and 40.01% in both cities, indicating composting potential. Plastic closely at 22.25% (Namchi) and 22.65% (Gangtok) was way above the global (12 %) and national (8.4 %) average respectively, emphasizing the urgency of plastic waste reduction strategy. The 16.95% cardboard in Gangtok highlights potential commerce-related waste. The study also highlights the importance of comprehensive policies for informal sector well-being. The lifecycle assessment of Namchi and Gangtok reveals significant methane emissions (99%) from waste anaerobic decomposition potentially due to poor source segregation. Implementing a futuristic waste strategy reduces emissions by 38% in Namchi and 40% in Gangtok, through biogas utilization and renewable energy adoption. The findings advocate for citizen engagement, improved collection, targeted campaigns, and circular economy principles. To ensure sustainability and resilience in waste management within mountain regions, tailored strategies such as material recycling facilities, community engagement initiatives, and landfill diversion mandates should integrate ecological, socioeconomic, and logistical considerations, fostering awareness and participation among communities. © 2024 The Authors |
| Author Keywords | Circular Economy; Himalayan cities; Life Cycle Analysis, SDGs; Smart cities; Solid waste management |
Similar Articles
| Id | Similarity | Authors | Title | Published |
|---|---|---|---|---|
47376  | 0.903 | Ghosh P.A.; Bobba E.R.; Dodda S.S.; Jasti V.K.; Meka S.; Vanga H.R. | Scenario Of Solid Waste Management In Indian Cities: A Study Of Pune, Visakhapatnam, And Tirupati | Ecology, Economy and Society, 8, 1 (2025) |
| 31711 | 0.885 | Ganesh S.V.; Suresh V.; Barnabas S.G.; Rajakarunakaran S. | Innovative Solid Waste Management Strategies For Smart Cities In Tamil Nadu: Challenges, Technological Solutions, And Sustainable Prospects | Discover Applied Sciences, 6, 12 (2024) |
| 54107 | 0.884 | Menghani S.; Gosai H.G.; Kallem P.; Desai P.; Hapani U. | Sustainable Waste Management As A Key Feature For Smart City: A Case Study Of Vadodara, Gujarat, India | Environmental Monitoring Using Artificial Intelligence (2025) |
| 13629 | 0.881 | Ghosh R.; Kumar M.S. | Challenges And Opportunities Towards Management Of Solid Wastes In Indian Cities: Beyond The Rhetoric Of Convenience | Sustainable Development Goals Series, Part F2699 (2021) |
| 10682 | 0.878 | Hamdan A.; Panda S.; Jain M.S.; Raj V.; Mathew S. | Assessing Municipal Solid Waste In Indian Smart Cities: A Path Towards Waste-To-Energy | Heliyon, 11, 6 (2025) |
| 41458 | 0.878 | Cheela, VRS; Ranjan, VP; Goel, S; John, M; Dubey, B | Pathways To Sustainable Waste Management In Indian Smart Cities | JOURNAL OF URBAN MANAGEMENT, 10, 4 (2021) |
| 17676 | 0.873 | Subha M. | Decentralized Solid Waste Management—A Tool For Achieving The Benchmark For Successful Swachh Bharat Transformation At Institutional Level—A Case Study | Sustainable Waste Management: Policies and Case Studies: 7th IconSWM—ISWMAW 2017: Volume 1 (2019) |
| 36297 | 0.872 | Vanjari S.; Dikshit A.K. | Managing Solid Wastes In Developing Countries: Insights From Three Indian Smart Cities | Waste Management and Treatment: Advances and Innovations (2024) |
| 38726 | 0.87 | Sohkhlet D.; Nagargoje S. | Municipal Solid Waste Management: A Comparative Study Between Sydney (Australia) And Pune (India) | E3S Web of Conferences, 170 (2020) |
| 21626 | 0.867 | Rena; Yadav S.; Patel S.; Killedar D.J.; Kumar S.; Kumar R. | Eco-Innovations And Sustainability In Solid Waste Management: An Indian Upfront In Technological, Organizational, Start-Ups And Financial Framework | Journal of Environmental Management, 302 (2022) |