New Delhi, Jan 1 (NationPress) The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that Delhi produces 11,852 tonnes of municipal solid waste each day but is only able to process 7,611 tonnes. This creates a significant gap of 4,241 tonnes that is ultimately sent to landfills in Bhalswa and Ghazipur.

This data was disclosed in an affidavit submitted by the CPCB in a suo motu case initiated by the green tribunal following a media report titled, “We can smell it even inside our homes: Southeast Delhi localities choke on garbage,” which emphasized the severe waste issue and unpleasant odors in neighborhoods such as Shaheen Bagh and Sarita Vihar.

According to the annual report provided by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) for 2024–25, the processing capability in Delhi is 8,173 tonnes per day, while the actual processing is 7,611 tonnes per day, indicating only 64.2 percent efficiency.

“Due to the discrepancy between waste generation and processing, approximately 4,241 TPD (or 35.8 percent) of waste is disposed of at dumpsites in Bhalswa and Ghazipur,” the CPCB reported.

The CPCB has proposed an increase of an additional 7,750 tonnes per day of processing capacity to address this gap during the period of 2025–2028 to fulfill the future requirements of the national capital.

As per the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, the CPCB informed the NGT that the primary responsibilities for collecting, segregating, transporting, and processing municipal waste rest with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), while enforcement of the rules is the duty of the DPCC.

“According to Rule 15 of these regulations, the local authorities, namely the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, are charged with the essential tasks of collecting, segregating, transporting, storing, and treating municipal solid waste, as well as maintaining and operating processing sites and dumpsites,” the affidavit stated.

The CPCB pointed out that on February 16, 2023, the NGT established a Solid Waste Monitoring Committee for Delhi, chaired by the Lieutenant Governor, to oversee all aspects of solid waste management, including new processing facilities and the remediation of legacy dumpsites.

The NGT recognized this issue in July this year after a media report indicated that garbage had not been collected for several days in Southeast Delhi, leading to “unpleasant odors and health issues.”

Noting that this situation seemed to invoke provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, the green tribunal issued notices to the CPCB, DPCC, MCD, and the District Magistrate of Southeast Delhi.