Delhi LG Expresses 'Disappointment' Over 'Stagnant' Solid Waste Disposal at Landfill Sites

New Delhi: Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) V K Saxena has expressed "disappointment" over "slower rate" of bioremediation of municipal solid waste at the landfill sites in the landfill sites in the city, said a Raj Niwas note.

Saxena on Monday visited Okhla landfill site after receiving complaints from the representatives of the resident welfare and market welfare associations about garbage piles on the city roads and streets, it said.

The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is also in power in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), said the BJP did nothing during its 15-year tenure at the helm of the civic body and the mountains of garbage (at landfills) continued to grow unchecked.

"Despite this, we have reduced 80 per cent of the legacy waste at the Bhalswa landfill site in just two years, and work at the Okhla landfill is progressing at a rapid pace," AAP claimed.

The average disposal rate of garbage that previously increased to around 22,000 metric tonnes (MT) per day, had fallen to around 20,000 MT per day, it said.

"This falls short of Saxena's target, which envisions an a municipal solid waste disposal system of up to 10 lakh metric ton per month, translating to over 33,000 metric ton per day," it said.

Saxena expressed "disappointment" over the "stagnant" and in some cases "declining" rate of solid waste disposal at the landfill sites including those at Okhla, Bhalswa and Ghazipur, the note claimed.

The LG directed the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to complete the process of disposing of all the 30 Lakh metric ton of garbage in one single year rather than spreading it over two years,it said.

The LG was informed that the work of bioremediation was being carried out at the rate of about 4000-5000 MT per day at Okhla landfill and after November 28. the work was finally stopped as the tenders for a new concessionaire was being finalised.

It was also informed that the slowest pace of bioremediation was at the Ghazipur site, said the note.

He was further informed that the MCD aimed to dispose 20 Lakh MT of waste at the three sites over the next one year and another 10 Lakh MT in following year.

The LG asked the MCD to complete the process of disposing all the 30 lakh MT of garbage in one year rather than spreading it over two years, said the note.

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, it added.