By Anamika Tiwari
New Delhi [India], March 23 : New Delhi's towering Bhalswa landfill, standing over 62 meters tall, has long been a symbol of the city's waste management struggles. Established in 1994 and declared overfilled in 2006, the site continues to receive fresh waste, worsening environmental and health challenges for the surrounding community.
In a significant step toward rehabilitation, a green initiative was launched this month. Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta inaugurated a bamboo plantation drive at the landfill, with the vision of transforming the reclaimed land into a green zone.
With 200 bamboo plants planted so far, the officials plan to add 54,000 more in the coming months. Bamboo was chosen for its eco-friendly properties, producing 30 per cent more oxygen than most other plants and requiring minimal water. This makes it a sustainable choice for enhancing air quality and curbing pollution in the area.
Lallan Prasad, a caretaker at the Bhalswa landfill for the past 19 years, shared insights into the landfill's daily operations.
"Every day, around 350 to 400 trucks bring waste here. Large trucks carry 10-12 tons, while smaller ones carry 3-5 tons. Over the years, I've seen about 50 percent of the waste reduced, and the enormous piles of garbage have gone down considerably," he said.
For the residents living near the landfill, life remains difficult, as exposure to toxic air and hazardous waste has led to widespread health issues.
"People here suffer from many diseases, but they stay because they have no other option. They have to earn a living," Prasad said.
He expressed hope that the newly formed Delhi government would address their concerns, noting that previous administrations had done little for their welfare.
While Prasad welcomed the bamboo plantation drive, he highlighted a major challenge -- the toxic soil.
"The ground is contaminated, and growing anything here is difficult. But if the bamboo plants survive, it will provide much-needed shade and improve air quality," he added.
Bamboo plantations can play a crucial role in managing landfills by stabilizing soil, absorbing excess moisture, and reducing erosion, which helps prevent landslides. Its deep root system can also filter contaminants from leachate, mitigating groundwater pollution.
Additionally, bamboo acts as a natural carbon sink, absorbing significant amounts of carbon dioxide from decomposing waste while improving air quality. Its ability to thrive in degraded soil makes it ideal for rehabilitating closed landfill sites, transforming them into green spaces. With its fast growth and environmental benefits, bamboo offers a sustainable solution for landfill management and ecological restoration.
The initiative marks a step toward environmental restoration, but the road ahead remains long. Residents and workers at Bhalswa hope that this effort will not only reduce pollution but also bring tangible improvements to their quality of life.