Green capping of Bhalswa landfill makes it almost quiet this summer

As per data provided by the north civic body, 25 “big fires” had broken out at the landfill located in northwest Delhi next to the GT Karnal Road from May 1 to June 15, last year (2018).

Surface garbage excavation work being carried out by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation at Bhalswa landfill, as part of its efforts to “green cap” it, has yielded some early dividends in the form of fewer fires occurring at the dumping site this summer, say the civic body officials.

Surface garbage excavation work being carried out by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation at Bhalswa landfill, as part of its efforts to “green cap” it, has yielded some early dividends in the form of fewer fires occurring at the dumping site this summer, say the civic body officials. (Sanchi Khannat/HT)

As per data provided by the north civic body, 25 “big fires” had broken out at the landfill located in northwest Delhi next to the GT Karnal Road from May 1 to June 15, last year (2018). A total of 75 Delhi Fire Service (DFS) tenders had to be summoned to extinguish the blazes that broke out in this period.

In contrast, this year, only seven such fires have occurred from May 1 to June 15, and only 11 fire tenders had to be called in. Three of these fires took place in May and four in June.

Fires at Delhi’s three landfills — Bhalswa, Ghazipur and Okhla — due to built-up methane gas coming into contact with hot air or cigarette butts, has been a huge pollution concern as well. “Plastic burning in landfills gives rise to dioxins and furans, which are highly carcinogenic,” said Swati Singh Sambyal, programme manager at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).

A fire that broke out at Bhalswa landfill on October 20 last year had raged for four days at a stretch.

The north corporation commissioner, Varsha Joshi, said the reduction in number of fire incidents is in spite of the fact that Delhi has seen a scorching summer this year and the mercury touched 48 degrees Celsius last week. “We are excavating the surface garbage to green cap Bhalswa landfill and that prevented a build-up of heat and methane in the landfill,” she said.

This year, Delhi witnessed one of the longest heat spells with no rains between May 15 and June 16.

Following in the footsteps of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), which reduced the height of its Okhla landfill from 58 metres to 38 metres by green capping in March, the north body also began surface excavation at Bhalswa in mid-April.

This will be followed by cutting of slopes, laying of methane suction pipes and a geo-membrane to prevent rainwater from seeping in. For this, a ₹180 crore tender inviting companies has been floated by the corporation. “Our tender will be closed soon and we have already completed surface garbage excavation of the landfill side facing GT Karnal Road,” Joshi said.

Concurring with the north civic body on the reduced fire incidents, DFS chief Atul Garg said, “Our Jahangirpuri fire station has, no doubt, received fewer fire calls from the civic agency’s outpost at Bhalswa landfill this summer and we are glad about this.”

“Extinguishing fires at landfills has been a huge problem for us. The surface is porous and uneven and gives in at any time. We are afraid to take our heavy fire tenders up on its slopes and pouring water to extinguish fires on them is even more dangerous,” Garg added.

Locals and waste pickers also said that they have experienced “some relief”. “Smaller fires still happen, but absence of large-scale blazes has helped us to breathe easy. The entire area gets filled up with smoke otherwise and our eyes would burn and itch,” said Mamchand, a retired army jawan and resident of Swaroop Nagar, which lies on the foothills of Bhalswa landfill.

Fire at landfill sites are a frequent occurrence in the national capital. The city generates about 10,000 metric tonnes of garbage every day. A major chunk of the garbage goes to the three main landfills, all of which have exceeded their capacity.