Delhi’s garbage mountains to disappear like dinosaurs in 5 years: Minister Sirsa

New Delhi: Delhi Environment minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Thursday made a bold promise to rid the capital of its infamous garbage mountains, declaring that the massive mounds of waste would “disappear just like dinosaurs” within the next five years.

While inspecting the Ghazipur landfill site, one of the city’s largest and most problematic dumps, Sirsa said the government was working on a war footing to process the legacy waste and free Delhi from these towering trash hills.

“I want to offer my commitment that the garbage mountains in Delhi will disappear just like dinosaurs,” Sirsa told reporters during his visit. “We are monitoring the progress daily through a dashboard at the secretariat. This is a commitment made in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, and we are determined to meet it without fail.”

According to Sirsa, around 70 lakh metric tonnes of waste have accumulated at the Ghazipur site over the years. Of this, approximately 14 to 15 lakh metric tonnes have already been processed. The minister said biomining efforts have picked up significant pace, and the goal is to process 7,000 to 8,000 metric tonnes of waste per day in the next six months.

He added that Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) officials have been instructed to ensure the newly contracted agency processes at least 8,000 metric tonnes daily within four to five months. “If they fail to meet the target, a penalty will be imposed,” he warned.

To further speed up the clean-up, the Delhi government is also considering hiring an additional agency. “The idea is to intensify the pace of biomining. We cannot allow these garbage mounds to exist any longer. They’re not just an eyesore but a major health and environmental hazard,” he said.

The Ghazipur landfill, along with similar sites in Bhalswa and Okhla, has long been symbolic of Delhi’s waste management crisis. Sirsa emphasised that the removal of these dumps is now a top priority and asserted that complete clearance of the legacy waste will be achieved within five to six years. “We are not making vague promises. We are acting with urgency. Delhi will soon breathe easier, and these garbage mountains will become history,” he said.