Highlights
- 50 tonnes of garbage collapsed at Ghazipur landfill on September 1
- Ban imposed on waste dumping at Ghazipur and Bhalaswa landfill sites
- Government to clear waste from Ghazipur in next two years
New Delhi: Last week two metro cities were drowning – one due to a flood-like situation and the other because of its own garbage tsunami. As Mumbai was recovering from the natural cum man-made disaster, 50 tonnes of garbage came crashing down the 80-feet high mountain of waste at east Delhi’s Ghazipur landfill on September 1. The humongous heap of garbage collapsed due to the heavy rainfall killing two people and pushing a car and three two-wheelers off the road and into a canal.
Post the tragic incident, the officials of East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) revealed that it was looking for an alternative trenching ground to dump city’s waste since 2002 as the Ghazipur landfill had reached its saturation point. However till last week about 3,000 tonnes of waste was being dumped at Ghazipur daily.
Also Read: Use Technology To Resolve Landfill Issues In Delhi: LG To Municipal Corporation
6 days and counting, here are some the developments that took place since the tragic incident
- No Garbage To Be Dumped In Ghazipur: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal
24 hours after the garbage collapse, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal conducted a meeting with Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and announced a ban on any kind of dumping on Ghazipur and Bhalaswa landfill sites with immediate effect. - National Green Tribunal Rejects Civic Body’s Alternative Landfill Site Proposal In Ghonda Gujran
Initially, the authorities had taken a decision to temporarily divert the waste from Ghazipur site to Ranikhera site. However after the people residing in nearby areas of Ranikhera protested, the East Delhi Municipal Corporation submitted a proposal to dump the waste in Ghonda Gujran in east Delhi. However the NGT rejected the proposal on grounds that the site is situated in an environmentally-sensitive zone near the Yamuna river. - National Green Tribunal Issues Showcause Notices To Delhi Authorities “Why did you not carry out the directions of the tribunal which have been issued time and again? Are people of Delhi expected to meet this fate? Are they supposed to die under a garbage dump? We had asked you to reduce the height of the dump and take appropriate measures for reduction of the waste. Why didn’t you do it?” the green court fired questions at the Delhi government and civic bodies today while issuing showcause notices. Hearing of the matter is scheduled to take place on September 12.
- Submit An Action Plan Within A Week To Restore Ghazipur National Green Tribunal Besides slamming the Delhi authorities over the “unfortunate incident”, the green court also directed all the Municipal Corporations of Delhi to submit an action plan within a week on what steps were being taken to restore the Ghazipur and other landfill sites in the city.Also Read:Enhance Capacity Of Waste Processing Units In East Delhi: Lt Governor
- Why Dumping City’s Waste At Bhalaswa Site Is Not An Option Before the Ranikhera landfill was selected to divert the city’s waste, the authorities had identified the Bhalswa landfill site. However, the decision was changed after the realisation that the Bhalswa landfill was saturated way beyond its capacity, as was highlighted by the North Delhi Mayor Preety Agarwal. “Bhalswa landfill site poses a similar threat,”Ms Agarwal said and directed the authorities to take immediate and necessary steps to avoid a repeat of the Ghazipur incident.
- Garbage On Ghazipur Likely To Be Cleared In 2 Years: Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal gave an assurance to the citizens residing nearby the Ghazipur landfill and said mountains of garbage will be cleared by 2019. To ensure a speedy removal, chief minister Kejriwal said compactors and waste-to-energy plants will be set up to scientifically treat the solid waste. The Chief Minister also asked Mr Baijal to hire experts to manage the waste on Ghazipur and Bhalaswa landfills.
The National Highways Authority (NHAI) officials who had been given a contract of using waste from the Ghazipur landfill in the construction of Delhi-Meerut Expressway last year in November assured the government that it will begin the process of lifting, segregating and processing of the solid waste by November 2017, for its use in road construction. Also Read: Delhi’s 80-Feet Garbage Mountain Collapses: 5 Stark Facts You Should Know About The Ghazipur Landfill
