Khattar adopts Bhalswa landfill in Delhi, says dumpsite to be cleared within one year

Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday announced to adopt the Bhalswa landfill in Delhi and said legacy waste from the site will be cleared within a year.

Addressing a press conference, Khattar said the work will begin from September 17, which marks the beginning of the 15-day nationwide 'Swachhata Hi Seva 2025' campaign.

Given the space constraints for further waste processing at the site, the minister said he has asked the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to identify additional land nearby where new waste can be dumped.

Khattar said he held meetings with various agencies in Delhi, including the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), three days back to coordinate the efforts for landfill clearance at three dumpsites -- Okhla, Ghazipur and Bhalswa.

Stating that he will participate in a cleanliness campaign at the Bhalswa landfill on September 17, Khattar stressed that the success of the plan will depend on close collaboration among the agencies, land availability, proper waste processing and uninterrupted project execution.

''We will start from Bhalswa and clean it in one year,'' Khattar said, adding that the initiative would extend to Delhi's other two landfill sites at Ghazipur and Okhla, where clearance work is already underway.

The minister said that earlier deadlines to clear the Bhalswa landfill had been missed due to rain, protests and logistical hurdles, but insisted that the fresh plan would be backed by ''clear targets and accountability''.

He highlighted the focus on cleanliness target units (CTUs) under the 'Swachhata Hi Seva' campaign like last year.

In 2024, more than eight lakh CTUs were transformed and made usable public spaces, Khattar said, adding that identification, transformation and beautification of CTUs will happen on a fast-track-mode and beyond the campaign period for visible cleanliness on ground.

''Cities are identifying the CTUs -- dark spots, neglected and hard-to-reach areas and places with excessive waste such as garbage dumps, railway stations, rivers, degraded lands, back lanes, and heavily littered dirty spots that need timely cleaning. These areas directly impact visible cleanliness, as cleanliness and beauty go hand in hand,'' Khattar said.

Addressing the presser, Jal Shakti Minister C R Paatil said better waste management is also essential for water security. ''We are making every possible effort so that water is diverted quickly to states facing shortages. This way our farmers will prosper and people's drinking-water problems will be solved,'' Patil said.

'Swachhata Hi Seva 2025' is a nationwide annual campaign that runs from September 17 to October 2. The initiative seeks to promote sanitation and cleanliness by encouraging mass voluntary participation for a ''garbage-free India''.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)