Aafrin Kidwai 
Representational image by Tom Fisk from Pexels
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the NCT Delhi and the Municipal Corporations concerned to coordinate and execute the work of remediating the legacy waste dump sites for enforcing the rule of law and protection of the environment and public health, expeditiously in terms of earlier orders of the Tribunal. Due care must be taken for preventing fire accidents on the landfill sites and maintaining the stability of the dumps, the order said.
Recently, an inspection report of the dumpsites was filed by the Joint Committee comprising the CPCB, NEERI, and IIT Delhi before the NGT. According to the report, about 6 percent of waste has been bio-remediated at the three dumpsites at Bhalswa, Ghazipur, and Okhla so far and fresh waste was being dumped at all three dumpsites.
The report informed the Tribunal that no concrete measures for leachate collection and treatment were being taken at the three dumpsites. Leachate was partially being recirculated for stabilization of waste and the remaining was being discharged into nearby surface water drains.
According to the report, the extent of legacy waste and the land covered by the three dum sites are as follows:
Ghazipur dumpsite- 1.4 crore metric tonne approx. on 70 acres of land
Bhalswa dumpsite – 80 lakh metric tonne approx. on 36 acres of land
Okhla dumpsite – 55-60 lakh metric tonne approx. on 46 acres of land
Read the full NGT Report here.
Picture Credit: Photo by Tom Fisk from Pexels
