Photos: Landfill proposal on Delhi’s Yamuna floodplain raises concerns

Despite a clean chit by the Central Pollution Control Board, environmental concerns over the proposed engineered landfill site at Ghonda Gujran and Sonia Vihar on the Yamuna floodplain in east Delhi have not abated. The proposed landfills have triggered protest from activists and experts who claim their presence along the floodplain would constrict the flow of the river, risk floods and also impact the river ecology and ecosystem. The East Delhi Municipal Corporation though, maintains that it will not be developing traditional landfills and has plans for preventing contamination. ...read more

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Updated on May 08, 2018 10:25 AM IST

Despite a clean chit by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), environmental concerns over the proposed engineered landfill site at Ghonda Gujran and Sonia Vihar in the Yamuna floodplain have not abated. East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) had been looking for an alternative for the 2,800 tonnes of municipal solid waste that the area generates daily ever since the landfill at Ghazipur exhausted its capacity. (Anushree Fadnavis / HT Photo)

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But the proposed landfills have triggered protest from activists and experts claiming that Delhi would be committing its ‘gravest mistakes’ if it allows dumping grounds to come up on the floodplains. On the other hand EDMC officials claim that these won’t be traditional dumping sites which could destroy the floodplain. (Anushree Fadnavis / HT Photo)

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Last year in September two people were killed when a portion of the Ghazipur landfill collapsed, expediting the civic body’s efforts. Initially, DDA’s 150 acres of land at Ghonda Gujran was identified for a landfill. But the NGT-appointed principal committee rejected it in 2016 and then again in 2017 on grounds that the site falls in the Yamuna floodplains and might damage the river ecology and ecosystem. (Anushree Fadnavis / HT Photo)

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Apart from Ghonda Gujran the EDMC identified another site at Sonia Vihar where DDA offered 130 acres of land. The CPCB declared 88 acres at Sonia Vihar and 50 at Ghonda Gujran suitable for solid waste management, processing and disposal facilities. But last week the Supreme Court took cognizance of the issue and directed stay on the NGT order. (Anushree Fadnavis / HT Photo)

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Both swathes of land fall in east Delhi. According to the EDMC, if these plots are left vacant it could soon be usurped by land sharks. Illegal activities such as sand mining and extracting groundwater are rampant on these lands. All along the road, one can see locals dumping waste in these empty plots and shanties have already come up in some portions. (Anushree Fadnavis / HT Photo)

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Experts point out that Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 state that landfill sites shall not be permitted within the floodplains (with a criticality of floods measured for a 100 years), wetland, critical habitat areas, and sensitive eco-fragile areas. However, EDMC official said that the so called ‘floodplain’ which has developed into pushta (embankment), is already home to thousands of households. (Anushree Fadnavis / HT Photo)

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Terming it a ‘myopic decision’, scientists have warned that a landfill along the floodplains would further constrict the river and increase the danger of floods. The EDMC, however, maintains it won’t be developing traditional landfills and no unprocessed garbage will be dumped. Its use will be for processing rejects and the site will be proofed so that leachate from the bottom doesn’t contaminate groundwater. (Anushree Fadnavis / HT Photo)

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Municipal Authorities claimed to start raising demand for additional sites for processing solid waste in late 1990s. But experts said the civic agencies had never concentrated on the model of treating waste at the community level, instead choosing to burn it at waste to energy plants. Local residents, both in Ghonda Gujran and Sonia Vihar, have warned of protests if the EDMC goes ahead the plan. (Anushree Fadnavis / HT Photo)