Don’t promise waste plants, NGOs to parties

Environmentalists are up in arms against the Congress and the BJP for promising promising more waste-to-energy plants during election campaigns. They say such plants are harmful for the environment. HT reports.

Environmentalists are up in arms against the Congress and the BJP for promising promising more waste-to-energy plants during election campaigns. They say such plants are harmful for the environment.

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Toxicwatch alliance, an NGO, and other environment groups on Friday said political parties should be boycotted for encouraging such units. The NGOs said the existing ones should be shut.

The waste-to-energy plants burn garbage to generate electricity. There are three such units in the city — Narela-Bawana, Ghazipur and Okhla.

The plants have been made started to deal with the piling heaps of garbage. According to the MCD, 8000 tonnes of garbage can be dispensed per day.

Environmentalists such as Gopal Krishna say toxic emissions from these plants cause birth deformities, cancer, respiratory ailments and hormonal problems.

Krishna said While BJP leader VK Malhotra has been opposing the waste-to-energy plants, the party is promoting them in the elections,” Gopal Krishna said.