Bhalswa landfill collapse: Three injured, jhuggis destroyed in north Delhi

10 jhuggis near the landfill were damaged. Gajendra Yadav

At least three people were injured and over 10 jhuggis were damaged after a portion of the Bhalswa landfill in north Delhi collapsed on Thursday morning following heavy rain.

The landfill is managed by the North MCD. Three ragpickers were buried under the debris. They have been rescued and are said to be out of danger.

“They were taken to the hospital, two have been discharged,” Director of the Press and Information of the North MCD said.

North body Mayor Jai Prakash informed that the portion that collapsed was 10 feet long and 15 feet wide.

The landfill is 53 metres high. It receives 2,100 metric tonnes of waste every day from North and Outer Delhi areas. Although it reached its capacity in 2006, it is used due to lack of alternate sites.

The North MCD had in July said the height of the landfill was reduced by 12 metres from 65 metres by deploying trommel screening machines to treat the waste.

“Trommel machines have been deployed at the top of the landfill… and a route was created for them to pass through. This could have displaced some mounds of waste,” Jai Prakash said, adding that officials have been given directions to ensure this doesn’t happen again.

AAP leader and North MCD opposition leader Vikas Goel said that a bigger disaster is waiting to happen.

“The MCD keeps claiming they have decreased the height. Then why are such incidents happening?” he asked.

According to residents of a small slum next to the landfill, a major accident was averted as the incident took place in the morning.