Delhi LG disappointed with decline in solid waste bioremediation in Okhla

Following several representations by RWAs, MTAs, citizen groups and public representatives regarding the existing crisis of garbage lying in the open on the roads in the city and lack of disposal thereof, which was leading to sanitation and health issues, Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG), VK Saxena visited the Okhla landfill site on Monday, as per a statement from LG Office.

According to the statement issued on Tuesday, the LG expressed grave disappointment over the static and in many cases falling rate of bioremediation of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) at Okhla and other landfill sites in the city.

Saxena, who had started personally monitoring the bioremediation measures, at the three landfill sites, after he took over in May, 2022, had led an exercise wherein MSW being disposed at a rate of 1.41 Lakh MT per month, had risen up to 6.5 Lakh MT by May, 2023 in a period of just one year, added the statement from Delhi LG office.

It came to light during the visit that the average disposal which had gone up to about 22,000 MT per day, had come down to about 20,000 MT per day, while Saxena had envisaged a system wherein the disposal of MSW goes up to 10 Lakh MT per month i.e. over 33,000 MT per day.

It may be noted that the LG had withdrawn himself from the exercise of supervising disposal of MSW in the city after the then Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal got the Supreme Court to stay the NGT Order that had appointed him the Chairperson of the High-Level Committee for cleaning and rejuvenation of river Yamuna, on 11.07.2023.

The NGT had also appointed the LG as Chairperson of the High-Level Committee to monitor the management and disposal of MSW, in Delhi, which in turn was also challenged by the AAP Government. However, despite the fact that there was no stay given by the SC in this matter, which remains pending, the LG had voluntarily taken a back seat in the matter of municipal solid waste, treating it as a matter of implication arising out of the stay by SC in the Yamuna matter.

The LG was informed that the work of bioremediation has stopped as of now and was being carried out at the rate of about 4000-5000 MT per day till 28.11.2024 at Okhla, when the work was finally stopped, with tenders for a new concessionaire being finalized. It was also informed that the slowest pace of bioremediation was at the Ghazipur site.

Saxena was also informed that the MCD aimed to dispose 20 Lakh MT of MSW at the three sites over the next one year and another 10 Lakh MT during the year after that. The LG asked the MCD to complete the process of disposing all the 30 Lakh MT of garbage in one single year, rather than spreading it over two years. He also asked for the land cleared of the garbage mounts to be levelled properly and scientifically, so as to make it usable for other purposes.

Several representations were received by the LG regarding the issue of garbage during the past few months, prompting the LG to call a meeting of officers last week and a visit to the site subsequently yesterday, the statement added.