Delhi residents cite foul smell, say Okhla waste-energy plant is ‘hazardous’

NEW DELHI: Reiterating their stand against the proposed expansion of the Okhla waste-to-energy (WTE) plant, residents of Sukhdev Vihar in southeast Delhi on Tuesday said toxic fumes emanating from the plant are leading to several health hazards among the people. 

Sukhdev Vihar is situated in close proximity to the WTE plant and the aggrieved residents urged the authorities to call off the expansion and shift the Okhla plant to the landfill site at Tughlaqabad. “There is a foul smell and toxic fumes within our society, especially during the winters and it has been impacting our health every single day,” said Dhruv Kapoor, a resident. 

He said the residents are not against the WTE plant but against its location as it has been impacting those living around the plant. Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena recently proposed the expansion of the Okhla WTE plant to generate 40 MW of power.

At present, the plant is generating 23 MW of energy and the Union environment ministry has capped the garbage consumption at the plant at 1,950 metric tonnes and the power generation at 23 megawatts.  The ministry also issued an order against ‘any further expansion (beyond 23 MW power generation capacity) at the same site considering the proximity of Sukhdev Vihar residential colony. 

“The Union environment ministry has already issued an order against expansion beyond 23 MW, and the matter is also pending before the Supreme Court,” said Rajiv Behl, another resident.