Delhi L-G seeks deadline from MCDs to make waste-to-energy plants operational

The direction comes after L-G held a review meeting of the projects and environmental issues related to the landfill sites, on Tuesday.

Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal has directed the municipal corporations to give in writing, when the upcoming waste-to-energy plants in the city’s landfill sites will become operational.

L-G Anil Baijal visits Delhi’s largest landfill site at Bhalaswa. (HT Photo)

The direction comes after L-G held a review meeting of the projects and environmental issues related to the landfill sites, on Tuesday.

“Besides municipal corporations, officials from other departments like power and environment were also present in the meeting. The L-G directed all concerned departments to work together and fine tune all bottlenecks and then come up with a final deadline,” a senior official, who attended the meeting said.

Read: Immediate intervention needed at Bhalswa landfill: Delhi L-G Baijal

The municipal corporations have planned waste-to-energy plants at Bhalaswa, Ghazipur and Narela-Bawana. However, all of them are running behind schedule, while the one operational at Okhla is facing legal trouble. Other plants are also under the scanner of the National Green Tribunal, officials said.

Sources said the L-G directed the officials to iron out all outstanding issues. “There are some issues related to tendering. The power secretary was also directed to complete all formalities for the power purchase agreements,” an official said.

The meeting comes three days after Baijal visited the largest landfill site in the Capital at Bhalswa. He was accompanied by all the three Commissioners of Municipal Corporations, Secretary (Power) besides officers from his office.

Following the visit, the L-G emphasised the need for an immediate intervention at the landfill site and directed the Municipal Corporation to use modern technology to resolve the problem at the earliest.