After the Gazipur catastrophe in September in Delhi where two people lost their lives, it seems we have not learnt any lessons.
Another such deadly trash mountain is threatening to erupt as a volcano. It is the Bhalswa landfill in north-west Delhi that receives close to 3000 tonnes of garbage every day on an average.
Close to 50 meters tall, the site grew out its permissible height of 20 meters way back in 2006 and has become a living hell for the people living in the vicinity.
Residents say that the mountain is prone to explosion for housing high level of methane and if a Gazipur-like incident takes place then close to 10,000 people will suffer and over a 100 will die.
But despite the health and environmental hazard, the government is hesitant to close the landfill as they have not yet found an alternative dumping site.
Frustrated, the residents have now resorted to a “Khatta Hatao aur Jeevan Bachao Andolan” seeking a complete ban on garbage dumping.
But they face opposition too as ragpickers who are dependent on the deadly landfill for their livelihood do not want it shut.
With lives at stake and the government sleeping over the problem, Bhalswa landfill is a disaster waiting to happen.
Watch ScoopWhoop News’s on-site reporting here:
(Feature image source: Scoop Whoop)