Delhi’s Bhalswa landfill to be declared pollution hotspot

Delhi Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood on Thursday said Bhalswa landfill will be declared a pollution hotspot to ensure special monitoring and mitigation efforts.

He inspected the landfill site to review the ongoing bio-mining, waste processing, and dust pollution control measures.

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Additionally, the minister ordered a drone survey of the entire area to assess the remaining waste and submit a detailed report within 10 days.

Sood said the surrounding localities of Badli, Jahangirpuri, Model Town, Shalimar Bagh, and Adarsh Nagar are the worst affected by the pollution at Bhalswa.

He instructed officials to ensure that new waste arriving daily is processed simultaneously to prevent the formation of another “garbage mountain”.

Sood, during the visit, also said that the pollution issue of the national capital is not confined to the city alone, and is also compounded by the neighboring states, with the rise in industrial activities, and other factors adding to the rise in air pollution.

Senior officials from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and other departments accompanied the minister, who briefed him on the functioning of the site and waste disposal status.

The minister also highlighted that over 800 garbage-carrying vehicles make trips to the site daily, consuming nearly 7,000 litres of diesel, which also contributes to air and also dust pollution.

He added that 16 trommel machines currently engaged in waste processing generate significant dust, aggravating pollution in the area.

To address the issue, Sood directed MCD officials and the concessionaire company to immediately install six anti-smog guns and 12 water sprinklers at the Bhalswa site.

He informed that he had earlier visited the site on September 17, and had issued several directions to curb environmental dust pollution, while today’s visit was aimed at reviewing the compliance of those directions.

According to Sood, around 4,000 MT of fresh waste is dumped at Bhalswa site every day, and he directed that both new and legacy waste be disposed of through scientific methods.

The minister also informed that an additional 10 acres of land has been made available at Bhalswa for wet waste processing, which will commence operations by December 2025.

He also directed MCD officials to take effective measures to prevent fire incidents at the landfill, which significantly worsen air pollution.