NEW DELHI: Nestled between East Delhi’s Ghazipur landfill and the bustling wholesale meat and flower markets, about 400 families eke out a precarious existence. These families, predominantly migrants from West Bengal, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh, live off the refuse of a city that seems to have forgotten them. Despite political promises and high-profile visits, the towering mound of garbage remains an unrelenting source of misery.
As Delhi gears up for another election cycle, political parties are ramping up their campaigns. Yet, for the residents of Ghazipur, including Mullah Colony and Rajbir Colony, the rhetoric rings hollow. Promises made by former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and even Prime Minister Narendra Modi have yet to translate into tangible improvements. The landfill’s toxic shadow continues to loom large over their lives.
Satbir, 32, who has known no other home, articulates the perpetual health crises faced by the community. “Cough, fever, and respiratory diseases are constants here,” he shares. The landfill’s fires during the scorching summers release noxious fumes, exacerbating health issues. During the monsoons, clogged drains and overflowing sewage compound their woes.
Raghunath, 41, another resident, bears visible scars of the environmental neglect. “People fall sick and don’t even realise it’s due to the landfill’s pollution. I’ve suffered from a persistent fungal infection,” he laments. His words echo the collective despair of a community abandoned by its representatives. “We vote, but our issues remain,” he says.
Sriniwas, 71, a resident of over four decades, recounts the worsening conditions. “Respiratory problems have become a part of life here. During rains, the streets become rivers of filth,” he says, holding up his medical prescriptions. His plea for a cleaner environment has long fallen on deaf ears.
These sentiments were echoed by residents of Tehkhand, a cluster of some 200 jhuggis immediately next to the Okhla landfill. “This garbage mountain has stood here from before I was born. We don’t really know a life without it. Over the years, multiple promises have been made regarding its removal, but it still stands,” says Amzad.
The MCD has been grappling with the three overburdened landfills at Okhla, Ghazipur, and Bhalswa for a long time. Together, these landfills hold over 160 lakh tonnes of legacy waste. About 3,000-3,500 tonnes of fresh waste continue to be dumped daily at Ghazipur and Bhalswa alone. Notably, during the last assembly polls, the Ghazipur landfill had reached 65 metres—just 8 metres shy of the Qutub Minar’s height.
Authorities have now extended the deadline to clear the landfills for the fourth time, shifting the target from December 2024 to December 2028, reflecting the scale of the challenge.
As the election approaches, residents like Amzad vow to confront the leaders. “When Kejriwal comes to campaign, we will ask him about his unfulfilled promises,” he asserts.