The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has started issuing notices to bulk waste generators (BWGs) in Lutyens’ Delhi, asking them to start decentralised processing of waste within their premises within six months in compliance with the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2026.According to senior NDMC officials, the new rules also mandate four-way waste segregation and provide for higher penalties for violations.According to senior NDMC officials, the new rules also mandate four-way waste segregation and provide for higher penalties for violations.NDMC, in collaboration with Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group, on Wednesday launched “Waste Wise Citizens – A Practical Guide to Making the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2026 Part of Our Daily Lives”, a citizen handbook aimed at implementation of the 2026 waste rules.A senior NDMC official said 30 bulk waste generators have been identified, including Gymkhana Club, key hotels and government departments. A survey based on water consumption and area is being carried out to identify more BWGs.Under the revised definition, BWGs include gated colonies, cooperative group housing societies, educational institutes, commercial establishments, hotels, banquet halls, hospitals, residential societies and institutions that generate more than 100kg of waste a day, or building with an area of 20,000 square metres or more, or consume 40,000 litres of water a day.The official said keeping a dustbin has been made mandatory for all street vendors, while the penalty for littering will increase from ₹50 to ₹500 for each offence.“We are in the process of finalising the bylaws under these rules, which will need approval from the Central government to come into force,” the official said.The handbook was released by Keshav Chandra, chairperson, NDMC. Chandra said the publication aims to present the provisions of the rules in simple and easily understandable language so that every citizen can understand and adopt them in daily life.Bharti Chaturvedi, director, Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group, said the handbook has been designed as a practical reference document to help citizens understand their role and bridge the gap between policy and practice.