Delhi CM orders 24×7 waste processing at city’s 3 landfill sites

Unhappy over slow pace of removal of waste from the city’s three landfill sites, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday instructed civic authorities to ensure 24×7 waste processing there.

In a high-level meeting at the secretariat, she also directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to run a special three-month-long drive to improve cleanliness in the national capital, according to a Delhi government statement.

The MCD has also been directed to prepare a detailed plan for the suitable use of all three landfill sites for the people of Delhi, after complete removal of the waste there, it said.

The chief minister said that instructions have been given to swiftly complete the construction of two new waste-to-energy plants in Narela and Ghazipur. Additionally, directives have also been issued for the expansion of waste-to-energy plants at Okhla and Tehkhand.

Expressing dissatisfaction with slow progress regarding waste disposal at Ghazipur landfill site, she instructed MCD to accelerate the process by deploying machines at all the three landfills.

During the meeting, the chief minister issued directives to ensure 24×7 waste processing operations at Ghazipur, Bhalswa, and Okhla landfills, the statement said.

“Delhi’s landfills are not merely mounds of garbage, rather testimonies of neglect and mismanagement. This is not merely an environment conservation initiative by the government but also a responsibility towards future generations,” Gupta said.

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Completely eliminating the garbage mountains from Delhi is the highest priority of the government. “The promise we made to the citizens of Delhi will be fulfilled under all circumstances. No negligence will be tolerated in this endeavour,” she said.

During the meeting, a detailed action plan was presented for expediting work at the landfill sites. The waste disposal work at these locations will now commence at twice the previous pace, Gupta added.

(With inputs from PTI)