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Delhi

Delhi govt to check landfill sites for compliance of DPCC norms

NEW DELHI: The Delhi's government's Environment department is likely to review all landfill sites and check whether guidelines issued by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) are being followed.
In 2016, the DPCC had issued as many as 14 show-cause notices to North and East Delhi Municipal Corporations after garbage at Bhalaswa and Ghazipur landfill sites caught fire.
"The DPCC and the government had repeatedly asked the civic bodies to take note of these landfills and the pollution level, but now we know the result," said Imran Hussain, Delhi Environment minister.
He added that the government will take strong action over the existing landfill sites which are violating norms.
Government sources explained that DPCC conducted several inspections at these landfills to find higher-than-natural levels of Methane gas. It also found instances of burning after conducting inspections twice in March and once in February.
Officials added that last year, the Delhi government had constituted a three-member committee to probe garbage fires at Ghazipur and Bhalswa landfill sites, which recommended stopping dumping of garbage at these sites.
This year, after the collapse of Ghazipur landfill, the government banned the site and proposed a new site.
The Environment department had also observed that fires at the landfills may become more dangerous this year.
Generally, winter in the Capital sees huge deterioration in terms of air quality.
The Environment minister is likely to chair a high-level meeting with the officials and the DPCC to formulate the plan of action in this case.
Meanwhile, Hussain on Friday wrote to the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan requesting them to take preventive steps to curb crop stubble burning in September and October.
"With the onset of winter, Delhi faces a critical phase of air pollution due to adverse meteorological conditions with low wind velocity, wind pattern and low temperature, etc. which aggravates pollution levels, especially concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10," his letter said.
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