Waste generation is an unstoppable event with different physical parameters and nature of being hazardous or non-hazardous. Municipal solid waste management in the Indian Himalayan Region is a critical challenge for environmental sustainability and biodiversity. Solid waste has emerged as a significant global environmental issue, particularly affecting ecologically sensitive regions such as the Himalayas. Uttarakhand, an eco-sensitive Indian Himalayan region (IHR) known for its vast and rich biodiversity, hilly terrain, forest area and tourist spots faces a substantial challenge in management of municipal solid waste (MSW). Unregulated waste disposal, hazardous waste mismanagement, and anthropogenic activities accelerate degradation presents a major environmental challenge, threatening biodiversity and ecosystem health. Current solid waste management techniques, on the other hand, are ineffective and have been shown to harm the micro-and macro-level functioning of global communities and the planet's environment. The untreated solid waste ends up in landfill and poses serious threats to hilly environment.

To limit its effect up to threshold level, a vibrant knowledge of nature based bio/phytoremediation techniques and its benefits is must to tackle the ongoing scenario. The projects broadly target “handling and remediation of municipal solid waste” with the help of indigenous site-specific plant species based on its potential and mechanism of remediation. In order to evaluate its degradation effectiveness, microbial-assisted bioremediation approach will be harness to inspect metabolic capabilities of microorganisms to degrade contaminants into less harmful substances and site-isolated microbes were subjected to form microbial consortia, followed by pot trials beside plants in in-vitro conditions. Thus, projects aim to overcome these pinpoint challenges regarding solid waste segregation, management and its degradation, concurrently promoting outreach awareness, waste dump decision making for sustainable development in the colder regions of the Himalayas.

Objectives
• Isolation, identification and characterization of microbes with plant growth promoting and bioremediation potential from waste dumping site and development of microbial consortia for bioremediation of waste.

• To assess the suitable plant species and isolated microbes for the bio/phytoremediation capacity of the municipal waste dump sites.

• To build the capacity of stakeholders w.r.t. microbial assisted bio/phytoremediation, eco-restoration model setup for municipal waste management.

Outcomes
• Bacterial strains for the preparation of the microbial consortia

• Identification of contaminant and stress tolerant plant species

• Comparable effect between Pot trials (without microbial consortia) and Pot trials (with microbial consortia) in terms of efficiency, synergistic or antagonistic effect.

• Awareness and outreach program among locals for promotion of microbially assisted phytoremediation for solid waste management