For the first time draft rules on solid waste management (SWM) will include 'sanitary waste', comprising of diapers, sanitary towels or napkins, tampons, condoms and incontinence sheets and specifies how it should be disposed off.

Under the section 'duties of waste generators', the draft rules identify those waste and asks the users to "wrap securely the used sanitary waste as and when generated in a newspaper or suitable biodegradable wrapping material" and place the same in the domestic bin meant for non bio-degradable waste or dry waste.

Rules on SWM also clearly specify that no waste generator will be allowed to throw the waste generated by him or her on the street, open spaces, drain or water bodies. "All waste generators shall pay such user fee or charge or fines, as may be specified in the bye-laws of civic bodies for solid waste management," says the draft.

The ministry will come out with final rules after going through public opinion and experts' suggestions on the issue in August. The draft rules put the onus of implementation of disposal of sanitary waste or any such solid waste on local municipal bodies. It specifies how the local civic bodies can ensure proper implementation of rules either by making certain bye-laws or through constant awareness campaigns.

It also asks the municipal bodies to undertake training and capacity building of urban local bodies for management of solid waste and facilitate establishment of common regional sanitary land fill for a group of cities and towns falling within a radial distance of 50 km or more from the regional facility on a cost sharing basis and ensure professional management of such sanitary landfills.