2.16 cr MT waste cleared from landfill sites, 100 acres reclaimed: Delhi CM Rekha
Stresses need to prevent emergence of new garbage mountains
Delhi has processed around 2.16 crore metric tonnes (MT) of waste from the Okhla, Bhalswa and Ghazipur landfill sites, reclaiming nearly 100 acres of land, the Delhi Government said on Sunday, highlighting the progress made under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s roadmap to clear the city’s long-standing garbage mountains.
According to the Chief Minister’s Office, around 70 lakh metric tonnes of waste has been processed at Okhla, reclaiming 35 acres, while Bhalswa has seen the processing of nearly 1.02 crore metric tonnes of waste and reclamation of 45 acres. At Ghazipur, around 44 lakh metric tonnes has been processed, reclaiming 20 acres.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the government had moved towards clearing the landfill sites through a scientific and time-bound approach, while also putting in place infrastructure to prevent the accumulation of fresh waste.
She said the removal of waste from the landfill sites was not merely about clearing garbage but also about improving the quality of life of people living in the surrounding areas.
The government said the reclaimed land and reduction in the size of the garbage mountains would help create cleaner and more liveable surroundings for residents.
At Ghazipur, inert material recovered after waste processing is being used for filling low-lying areas and preparing road bases. This, the government said, ensures that recovered material is put to productive use instead of simply being discarded.
The Chief Minister also stressed the need to prevent the emergence of new garbage mountains. Preparations have been completed for setting up four new waste-to-energy plants in Delhi, according to the CMO.
Once operational, these plants are expected to strengthen Delhi’s capacity to process the waste generated daily. The government said its objective is to process as much waste as the city generates each day, while focusing on the scientific management of different categories of waste.
CM Gupta said the ongoing work at Okhla, Bhalswa and Ghazipur, along with new waste management infrastructure, is aimed at making Delhi cleaner, healthier and more liveable.
