New Delhi: The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that the national capital processes only 64.2 per cent of the municipal solid waste it generates daily, leaving a massive gap of over 4,000 tonnes that ends up in landfills.
In an affidavit filed in a suo motu case regarding sanitation issues in Southeast Delhi, the CPCB revealed that while Delhi generates 11,852 tonnes of waste per day, it processes only 7,611 tonnes. Consequently, the remaining 4,241 tonnes are disposed of at the overburdened dumpsites in Bhalswa and Ghazipur.
Citing the Delhi Pollution Control Committee's (DPCC) annual report for 2024–25, the CPCB noted that although the city has a processing capacity of 8,173 tonnes per day, actual utilization remains lower. To address this deficit, authorities plan to augment capacity by an additional 7,750 tonnes per day between 2025 and 2028.
The CPCB clarified that under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, the primary responsibility for waste collection, segregation, and processing lies with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), while enforcement rests with the DPCC. It also noted that a Solid Waste Monitoring Committee, headed by the Lieutenant Governor, was constituted in 2023 to oversee these issues.
The NGT took cognisance of the matter following media reports titled “We can smell it even inside our homes,” which highlighted severe garbage accumulation and foul odour in localities like Shaheen Bagh and Sarita Vihar. The tribunal observed that the situation violated environmental protection laws and issued notices to the relevant authorities.
(Inputs from IANS)