India, June 5 -- This World Environment Day gives us pause to reflect not just on the environmental challenges we face, but also on the untapped potential that lies within them. This year's theme of Combating Plastic Pollution highlights an urgent global priority that resonates strongly with India's own mounting waste crisis. The country generates over 62 million tonnes of municipal solid waste annually, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), and this figure is expected to reach 165 million tonnes by 2030 if current trends persist. Of this, only about 70% is collected, and less than 20% is treated. The rest ends up in over 3,000 legacy dumpsites, many of which have become hazardous and unmanageable.

Take India's Capital...