Porush Kumar

Practical Applications This research provides city planners and decision-makers with a practical framework to address one of the most pressing challenges in fast-growing urban areas: safe and sustainable waste disposal. By combining information on rivers, groundwater, soil, climate, land use, and road access, the study identifies locations where landfill sites can be placed with minimal risk to people and the environment.

1 Introduction Urbanization in emerging economies is profoundly transforming land systems, intensifying environmental pressures particularly in mid-sized cities where infrastructure development often lags behind rapid demographic expansion. Among the most pressing consequences of this transformation is the exponential rise in MSW generation, driven by population growth, shifting consumption patterns, and unregulated land use changes.