NHRC issues notices to Centre, Delhi Govt. over report of hazardous garbage dumps

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report on the landfills' threat to environmental health in Delhi and issued notices to Environment Ministry Secretary, Delhi Government Chief Secretary, and Commissioners of all the three Municipal Corporations in Delhi calling for reports within four weeks.

According to the media report, the three garbage dumps at Ghazipur, Okhla and Bhalaswa in the National Capital Territory are monstrous trash mountains including hazardous waste causing grave threat to the environment. Recyclable waste is getting mixed with the organic waste leading to contamination of the ground water and air in the surrounding areas of these sites. Rag pickers roaming in these landfills are contracting various diseases.

The Corporations in Delhi have given no thought to manage them, nor the Delhi Pollution Control Committee is taking steps to check the pollution.

The Commission has observed that the contents of the press report are disturbing and if true, raise a serious issue of human rights violation.