"Last Selfie" with Okhla Garbage Mountain: CM Rekha Gupta Vows to End Landfill Legacy
Delhi CM Rekha Gupta takes her "last selfie" with the Okhla landfill, announcing new waste processing plants to eliminate the city's garbage mountains.
In a defiant move against Delhi's long-standing waste crisis, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta declared on Saturday that she has taken her "last selfie" with the massive garbage mountain at the Okhla landfill site. During an inspection of the site to review waste disposal progress, the Chief Minister asserted that these mountains of refuse would soon be a thing of the past.
A Pledge to Eliminate Waste Mountains
Standing at the Okhla site, CM Gupta highlighted the significant strides made by the Delhi government over the last 18 months. She noted that the administration has successfully cleared 100 acres of land across the city's three major landfill sites, with much of that reclaimed land already being transformed into green spaces.
"The pledge our government took to eliminate the mountains of garbage... in just 1.5 years, we have cleared 100 acres of land across our three landfill sites," Gupta stated. She further revealed that almost all waste accumulated prior to January 2025 has already been processed. The current piles at Okhla consist primarily of fresh waste generated after January 2025, which is being handled through round-the-clock processing operations.
The Chief Minister explained that the government is currently fighting a two-front battle: eliminating existing legacy waste while simultaneously managing the 3,000 to 4,000 metric tons of fresh waste that arrives in the city every single day to prevent new mountains from forming.
New Infrastructure and Processing Plants
To bolster the city's waste management capabilities, the Chief Minister laid the foundation stones for several critical facilities during her visit. These include:
- Okhla: A new waste processing plant costing Rs 103 crore, with a capacity to handle 1,400 metric tonnes per day.
- Singhola: A processing plant costing Rs 42 crore, capable of managing 800 metric tonnes per day.
- Ghazipur: A new plant with a 700 metric tonne daily capacity, alongside a new biogas facility.
Additionally, the CM inaugurated the M&CW Centre at Kotla Mubarakpur via virtual mode. These new facilities are designed to ensure that both daily municipal waste and construction and demolition (C&D) waste are processed systematically.
A 360-Degree Approach to Pollution
Addressing the impact of these landfills on the local population, Gupta mentioned that residents traveling through Bhalswa, Ghazipur, and Okhla have long suffered due to the presence of these mountains. She took a jab at the Opposition, stating that while they once mocked her promises, the reality is now visible: the mountains are shrinking.
The Chief Minister emphasized that the government is adopting a "360-degree perspective" to tackle Delhi's pollution. This comprehensive strategy includes:
- Eliminating garbage mountains.
- Cleaning the Yamuna river.
- Improving road infrastructure.
- Managing waste to ensure better air quality for citizens.
In a unique move to protect water bodies, the government has also established separate centres for recycling broken idols, preventing them from being dumped into rivers or mixed with general garbage.