Performance Audit on Waste Management in Indian Railways, Ministry of Railways

A performance audit of waste management in Indian Railways — solid, plastic, hazardous, bio-medical and electronic waste, and waste water — at 109 selected stations, 30 coaching depots, 101 workshops and production units and 72 hospitals, including compliance with National Green Tribunal directives.

Audit period: 1 Apr 2016 — 31 Jul 2021
Presented: 8 Aug 2022

Findings

No authority was given clear responsibility for waste management, and no funds were earmarked for it exclusively.
“No separate authority with clear role and responsibility was assigned the waste management task as also there was no demarcated fund allocation for waste management exclusively.”Executive Summary
Environment and housekeeping wings were never formed in 11 divisions despite Railway Board directives of August 2015, and 59 of 109 stations audited had not obtained the consent to establish that the National Green Tribunal requires.
“Environment & Housekeeping Management (EnHM) wings were not formed in 11 divisions in CR, ER, NR and NEFR despite issue of directives by Railway Board in August 2015. In 59 stations out of 109 selected for audit, Directives of NGT for obtaining Consent to Establish (CTEs) from related State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) were not complied with (As of 31 July 2021).”Executive Summary
Facilities for handling solid waste — wet waste processing, material recovery, composting, segregation and recycling — were absent at 70 per cent of the stations and 90 per cent of the coaching yards audited, and even basic segregation of biodegradable from non-biodegradable waste was not ensured.
“The basic condition of segregating bio-degradable and non bio-gradable waste was not ensured. Facilities for management of solid waste such as wet waste processing, material recovery facility, provision of composting plant, waste segregation and recycling centres were not provided at 70 per cent of the stations and 90 per cent of coaching yards selected for audit.”Executive Summary
Plastic waste generation was not even measured at 71 stations and 26 coaching depots, and 90 stations and 25 depots had neither the planned bottle crushing machines nor a plastic-only bin.
“Assessment of quantity of plastic waste generated was not done at 71 stations and 26 coaching depots out of 109 stations and 30 coaching depots selected for audit. Non-installation of Plastic Bottle Crushing Machines (PBCMs) as planned and absence of provision of 'plastic only Bin' in 90 stations and 25 coaching depots indicated lack of efforts on important environmental issue.”Executive Summary
Hazardous waste rules on storage and labelling were not complied with in 102 of 131 units audited, which the audit calls a potential threat to the environment and to the people working there.
“Lack of seriousness was observed in obtaining SPCB's authorisation in respect of 40 units out of 131 selected (including 30 coaching depots). Further, non-compliance of the rules prescribed for storage and labelling of hazardous waste in 102 units (out of 131 selected) remained a potential threat for the environment and people engaged in these units.”Executive Summary
Effluent and sewage treatment plants planned for 19 major coaching depots and 40 workshops were not commissioned as of March 2020, water recycling plants were absent at 86 stations, and 43 of 63 sanctioned automatic coach washing plants had not been started at all.
“Effluent Treatment Plants/ Sewage Treatment Plants (ETP/STPs), though planned for commissioning in 19 major coaching depots and 40 workshops, were not commissioned as of March 2020. WRPs were not provided at 86 stations. Installation of ACWPs at 43 locations out of 63 sanctioned did not commence at all as of March 2020.”Executive Summary
46 of 72 railway hospitals audited had no secured room for storing bio-medical waste as the rules require, 15 disposed of such waste departmentally for want of equipment, and 52 had no review and monitoring committee.
“Provision of secured room with reference to Bio-Medical waste Rules for storage of bio-medical waste was not made in 46 hospitals out of 72 selected for audit. Further, in the absence of requisite equipment for treating bio-medical waste, 15 hospitals managed waste disposal departmentally endangering safety of public health. Review and monitoring committee did not exist in 52 hospitals to oversee the monitoring mechanism of bio-medical waste management.”Executive Summary
Waste collected from pantry cars and housekeeping-served trains was not unloaded in secured bags at 49 of 109 stations, and at 42 of those it was not put into separate assigned bins either.
“Segregated waste collected from the Pantry cars and trains with On Board Housekeeping Services (OBHS) was not unloaded in secured bags at 49 stations out of 109 selected for audit. In 42 of these 49 stations, waste collected from the Pantry cars or OBHS trains was not dumped in separate assigned dustbins.”Executive Summary
Records of electronic waste by category, which the e-waste rules require, were not kept in 46 data processing centres and 32 reservation units or scrap depots out of 86 units audited.
“Record in respect of generation of category wise E-Waste as prescribed in E-Waste management Rules was not maintained in 46 EDP centers and 32 PRS units/scrap depots out of 86 units (EDP/PRS/UTS/GSD) selected for audit.”Executive Summary

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Lacks contextCleanliness and Sanitation will be given priority — efficient Waste and Water management systems will be set up. We will introduce Sanitation Ratings measuring and ranking our cities and towns on 'sanitation'; and rewarding the best performers.

Performance Audit on Waste Management in Indian Railways, Ministry of Railways

Findings

No authority was given clear responsibility for waste management, and no funds were earmarked for it exclusively.

“No separate authority with clear role and responsibility was assigned the waste management task as also there was no demarcated fund allocation for waste management exclusively.”Executive Summary

Environment and housekeeping wings were never formed in 11 divisions despite Railway Board directives of August 2015, and 59 of 109 stations audited had not obtained the consent to establish that the National Green Tribunal requires.

“Environment & Housekeeping Management (EnHM) wings were not formed in 11 divisions in CR, ER, NR and NEFR despite issue of directives by Railway Board in August 2015. In 59 stations out of 109 selected for audit, Directives of NGT for obtaining Consent to Establish (CTEs) from related State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) were not complied with (As of 31 July 2021).”Executive Summary

Facilities for handling solid waste — wet waste processing, material recovery, composting, segregation and recycling — were absent at 70 per cent of the stations and 90 per cent of the coaching yards audited, and even basic segregation of biodegradable from non-biodegradable waste was not ensured.

“The basic condition of segregating bio-degradable and non bio-gradable waste was not ensured. Facilities for management of solid waste such as wet waste processing, material recovery facility, provision of composting plant, waste segregation and recycling centres were not provided at 70 per cent of the stations and 90 per cent of coaching yards selected for audit.”Executive Summary

Plastic waste generation was not even measured at 71 stations and 26 coaching depots, and 90 stations and 25 depots had neither the planned bottle crushing machines nor a plastic-only bin.

“Assessment of quantity of plastic waste generated was not done at 71 stations and 26 coaching depots out of 109 stations and 30 coaching depots selected for audit. Non-installation of Plastic Bottle Crushing Machines (PBCMs) as planned and absence of provision of 'plastic only Bin' in 90 stations and 25 coaching depots indicated lack of efforts on important environmental issue.”Executive Summary

Hazardous waste rules on storage and labelling were not complied with in 102 of 131 units audited, which the audit calls a potential threat to the environment and to the people working there.

“Lack of seriousness was observed in obtaining SPCB's authorisation in respect of 40 units out of 131 selected (including 30 coaching depots). Further, non-compliance of the rules prescribed for storage and labelling of hazardous waste in 102 units (out of 131 selected) remained a potential threat for the environment and people engaged in these units.”Executive Summary

Effluent and sewage treatment plants planned for 19 major coaching depots and 40 workshops were not commissioned as of March 2020, water recycling plants were absent at 86 stations, and 43 of 63 sanctioned automatic coach washing plants had not been started at all.

“Effluent Treatment Plants/ Sewage Treatment Plants (ETP/STPs), though planned for commissioning in 19 major coaching depots and 40 workshops, were not commissioned as of March 2020. WRPs were not provided at 86 stations. Installation of ACWPs at 43 locations out of 63 sanctioned did not commence at all as of March 2020.”Executive Summary

46 of 72 railway hospitals audited had no secured room for storing bio-medical waste as the rules require, 15 disposed of such waste departmentally for want of equipment, and 52 had no review and monitoring committee.

“Provision of secured room with reference to Bio-Medical waste Rules for storage of bio-medical waste was not made in 46 hospitals out of 72 selected for audit. Further, in the absence of requisite equipment for treating bio-medical waste, 15 hospitals managed waste disposal departmentally endangering safety of public health. Review and monitoring committee did not exist in 52 hospitals to oversee the monitoring mechanism of bio-medical waste management.”Executive Summary

Waste collected from pantry cars and housekeeping-served trains was not unloaded in secured bags at 49 of 109 stations, and at 42 of those it was not put into separate assigned bins either.

“Segregated waste collected from the Pantry cars and trains with On Board Housekeeping Services (OBHS) was not unloaded in secured bags at 49 stations out of 109 selected for audit. In 42 of these 49 stations, waste collected from the Pantry cars or OBHS trains was not dumped in separate assigned dustbins.”Executive Summary

Records of electronic waste by category, which the e-waste rules require, were not kept in 46 data processing centres and 32 reservation units or scrap depots out of 86 units audited.

“Record in respect of generation of category wise E-Waste as prescribed in E-Waste management Rules was not maintained in 46 EDP centers and 32 PRS units/scrap depots out of 86 units (EDP/PRS/UTS/GSD) selected for audit.”Executive Summary