Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal on Wednesday visited the Bhalswa Landfill site to inspect the legacy waste disposal work on the occasion of the Seva Pakhwada, which began in Delhi to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 75th birthday.
He stated that the 45 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste accumulated at the Bhalswa landfill site will be disposed of before October 2 next year.
The minister said he would personally oversee this work, adding that all agencies would work together in this direction.
He stated that after bioremediation, approximately 25 acres of land have been cleared at the Bhalswa landfill site, of which five acres have been developed as bamboo gardens, and the remaining 20 acres have been used for the installation of sanitation-related machinery.
The minister added that until now, fresh waste and legacy waste were being disposed of at the same site, but from now on, the government has decided to dispose of fresh waste separately.
According to the Union Minister, the Seva Pakhwada will be observed starting from the PM’s birthday, and will go on till October 2, the birthday anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and former PM Lal Bahadur Shastri.
Manohar Lal said that 1,470 legacy waste dumps have been identified in the country, adding that Delhi has three landfill sites located at Bhalswa, Ghazipur, and Okhla.
According to the minister, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has been appointed as the partner for the work at the Bhalswa landfill site.
Important people present on the occasion planted trees under the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” campaign, while the minister viewed a presentation on legacy waste disposal and inspected the landfill site.
Delhi Minister Ashish Sood, Delhi Mayor Sardar Raja Iqbal, Delhi Chairperson of the Standing Committee Sunder Singh, and Deputy Chairman of the Standing Committee Pravesh Wahi were among those present on the occasion.
Minister Manohar Lal shared that ”the inert waste generated after the disposal of legacy waste was used in the construction of Urban Extension Road (UER)-2. Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) is being used as fuel in cement factories, and construction and demolition (C&D) waste is being used in tile manufacturing.”
He said that the regime has resolved to eliminate the garbage mountain at the Bhalswa landfill site within a year.
The Union Minister requested citizens to contribute to this cleanliness campaign and incorporate cleanliness into their nature and culture.
He praised the work of the MCD employees working at the landfill site, the waste disposal company employees, and the garbage truck drivers.
Delhi’s Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood said that the Delhi Government’s resolve to transform the city from “mountains of garbage” into a “clean capital” is being rapidly fulfilled.
He further added that the making of a “Developed Delhi” will not be by copying any foreign city, but by building a capital that reflects India’s historical and cultural heritage while fulfilling the aspirations of a modern, globally leading nation.