New Delhi, March 30 (NationPress) - Delhi's Lieutenant Governor, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, conducted a visit to the Bhalswa landfill on Monday to evaluate the ongoing progress of bioremediation efforts and scrutinize strategies for managing both legacy waste and the influx of new garbage at the facility.

During his inspection, the Lt Governor acknowledged that significant strides have been made over the past year regarding the remediation of solid waste at the Bhalswa, Ghazipur, and Okhla landfills. However, he emphasized that continuous and enhanced efforts are essential to tackle the persistent issue of waste accumulation in the national capital.

He recalled that these three prominent landfill sites were previously described as "mountains of garbage" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which led to the initiation of extensive bioremediation initiatives in 2022. Since then, various agencies have been involved in addressing legacy waste, yet officials concede that fully restoring these sites is a long-term endeavor.

The Lt Governor urged the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to investigate advanced international technologies in waste management and to implement global benchmarks and expert consultations to enhance operational efficiency and speed. He noted that the adoption of modern, proven techniques could significantly alleviate Delhi's landfill challenges within a set timeframe.

He also instructed civic authorities to not only prioritize the removal of accumulated legacy waste but also enforce strict measures to manage the ongoing influx of fresh garbage at these sites. He highlighted the necessity for systemic reforms, advocating for improved enforcement of waste segregation at the source throughout the city.

Emphasizing the crucial role of resident welfare and market trader associations, the Lt Governor encouraged the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to ramp up outreach and engagement initiatives to ensure that both households and businesses effectively separate their waste into dry and wet categories. He stated that efficient segregation would expedite processing and enhance the outcomes of bioremediation efforts.

With the summer season approaching, he stressed the importance of preventive actions to avert fire incidents at landfill sites, directing authorities to bolster safety protocols and monitoring systems to mitigate such hazards.

During his visit, Sandhu also interacted with the landfill workers and assessed their working conditions. He instructed concessionaires and implementing agencies to prioritize the provision of necessary health and safety measures for the workers.