On 21 November 2025, the ASOSAI Working Group on Audit at Regional and Municipal Levels (chaired by the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation) held an online webinar on the topic “Audit of Solid Waste Management.”

The event was organized by the International Centre for Local Governance Audit of SAI India (iCAL).

Ms. Alina Prokhvostova, Head of the Division for Cooperation with INTOSAI and Other International Organizations of the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation and representative of the Working Group Secretariat, emphasized that the meeting marks a new stage in the practical implementation of the Group’s initiatives. In recent months, key project concepts have been prepared and agreed upon, including a digital version of the study on the specifics of regional audit within the ASOSAI community and a compendium of best practices in regional infrastructure audit. Solid waste management audit is among the priority topics on the Group’s agenda.

During the webinar, experts reviewed a broad range of issues – from fundamental aspects of solid waste management to the role of audit in improving municipal governance.

• Dr. Mercy Samuel (CEPT University) analyzed the reform of the waste management system in the city of Indore, which has ranked first for several consecutive years in India’s national “Clean India” index. She highlighted that the key to success was the consistent modernization of processes that ensure daily waste handling – from collection to recycling or disposal – supported by digital tools and public–private partnership models.
• Dr. Tejas Doshi, Brand Ambassador, Clean India Mission Bhavnagar, presented civic initiatives aimed at reducing plastic pollution, including the Don’t cut the corner campaign to limit small plastic trimmings from packaging; the Joy of Giving Pen project, which has collected and recycled more than 13.6 million used pens; and the creation of India’s first eco-park built entirely from plastic waste.
• Mr. Ilesh Vaghela, Social & Behavioural Change Expert, Former SBM (Clean India Mission) Government official, noted that sustainable waste management is impossible without changes in citizen behavior. Infrastructure creates the conditions, but it is people’s habits that determine the final result. Mr. Vaghela proposed expanding the scope of audits to include an assessment of citizen behavior and the quality of municipal communication strategies.
• Mr. H. K. Dharmadarshi, Director General of iCAL, presented the results of the solid waste management audit conducted in the state of Tripura for the period 2017–2023. The audit identified shortcomings in planning, insufficient financial resources, weak organization of waste collection and transportation, as well as violations of landfill placement requirements.
• Ms. Sowmya Kidambi, (Social Audit Expert) Director & CEO, Barefoot College, highlighted India’s national experience in involving citizens in public oversight. Social audit enables the assessment of actual results of environmental programs, identifies issues at the household level, and strengthens the impact of traditional government audit. Effective practices include door-to-door verification, assessment of compliance with waste segregation rules, and interviews with municipal workers and residents.

The webinar demonstrated that solid waste management requires a systemic approach based on strategic planning, sustainable financing, and information transparency. The cases presented confirmed that only a combination of professional SAI conclusions, citizen participation, and institutional reforms can ensure meaningful improvements in urban environmental quality.