Aafrin Kidwai 
Increasing stocks of refuse-derived fuel (RDF) following the biomining of legacy waste is posing problems for full-fledged operation of trommel machines at Bhalswa and Ghazipur landfill sites.
A North Delhi Municipal Corporation official informed The Times of India that the RDF has poor calorific value and cannot be directly incinerated. The civic body has signed a contract with National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) for transporting 14 lakh tonnes of inert from Bhalswa landfill to use on Urban Extension Road, but there are no takers for RDF. At least 10,000 tonnes of stock is reportedly lying at the landfill, while 1,000 tonnes of RDF is sent to waste-to-energy (WTE) plants and another facility at Murthal each day.
In order to generate high-value RDF, the NDMC, which generates the most RDF among all municipalities in Delhi, has invited tenders for setting up a plant on a three-acre plot at Bhalswa. Bids have been received and will be finalised next month.
The civic authorities claim to have taken the subject to the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, requesting that a PSU or government institution be invited to build up a factory in the Delhi-NCR area with technology to consume the material in bulk.
