New Delhi, May 28 (H.S.): Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal visited the Bhalswa Dumpsite on Wednesday and reviewed the ongoing waste disposal and land reclamation work at the site. During the visit, he stated that the scientific waste-processing methods being implemented are in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Swachh Bharat Mission objectives.

The Bhalswa Dumpsite has been adopted by the Ministry under the Dumpsite Remediation and Action Plan (DRAP) initiative. This mission-mode programme focuses on the scientific remediation of large legacy waste sites across the country with the goal of achieving “Zero Waste Dumpsites.” Manohar Lal had formally announced the adoption of the site in September 2025.

During the inspection, officials informed the minister that the site contained nearly 7.3 million metric tonnes of waste in June 2022. Since July 2022, approximately 15,000 metric tonnes of waste have been scientifically bio-mined every day. As of May 26, 2026, the remaining waste has been reduced to nearly 2.317 million metric tonnes. Around 43 acres of land have been reclaimed so far, out of the site’s total area of nearly 70 acres.

During the review meeting, Manohar Lal discussed bio-mining operations, environmental safety measures, fire prevention systems, leachate management, and the overall remediation framework. He directed officials to ensure complete clearance of the dumpsite by September. He also instructed that freshly generated waste should be disposed of immediately to prevent the accumulation of new legacy waste.

The minister further directed that the reclaimed land should be utilised for public welfare and community-oriented purposes. Municipal Commissioner Sanjeev Khirwar, Chief Engineer-in-Chief P.C. Meena, Chief Engineer K.K. Sharma, Deputy Commissioner Shashi, and several other officials were also present during the visit.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar