Aafrin Kidwai 
The Delhi Development Authority’s (DDA) latest draft Masterplan 2021 for the national capital titled ‘MPD 2041‘ proposes that no new landfill sites must be created in the city and a focus on ‘minimum waste localities must be developed. The new plan aims to decentralize waste management by repurposing the existing waste management infrastructure and treat the bulk of municipal waste locally, as close to the generation site as possible.
MPD41 also encourages the setting up of large composting farms in green development areas (GDA) which will be created on the city’s periphery and using large parks for composting or biomethanation of wet waste at the community level. Dry waste is to be sent to recycling centres and material recovery centres which will be set up to replace large dhalaos.
Delhi currently generates 12,350 tonnes of solid waste daily and this is expected to rise to 18,915 tonnes by 2041. Currently, of the total waste generated, only 85% is collected by the municipal corporations and much of it — 55% — ends up in the three overexploited landfills in Okhla, Ghazipur and Bhalswa.
The draft Master Plan emphasises sustainable solid waste management. “All agencies involved in waste management shall adopt principles of reduce, reuse and recycle (circular economy), consider waste as a resource and facilitate an environment for development of waste-related industries,” proposes the draft, which is open to public feedback and comments for another 40 days.
Picture Credit: Wikipedia
