Trump said he was uncertain whether NATO would support the United States if assistance were ever requested, comments that many European leaders viewed as dismissive of two decades of allied cooperation. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has issued a strong public response after US President
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge emphasized protecting the Election Commission's independence. He stated institutions face pressure. Kharge highlighted the need for free and fair elections. He mentioned that snatching the right to vote tarnishes democracy
On National Voters Day, PM Narendra Modi shared greetings to the nation, hailing the day as a moment to strengthen faith in India's democratic values. Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended greetings to citizens on the occasion of National Voters' Day on Sunday
A decade ago, self-driving cars were science fiction. Today, they're navigating our streets. AI has quietly slipped into our homes, workplaces, and classrooms, changing how we live and think. Yet amid this revolution, one truth stands tall: it all began with Maths.A decade ago
“Kam hai paisa, kam hai dana, kaise khilaye bachchon ko khana,” is the slogan which workers are asked to raise when seeking for their delayed wages and ration allocations. Among them is Ramsingh Baghel, 69, who has headed a Sahayata Samoh (self-help group for school and anganwadi
Residents call for tighter regulation of waste plants under GRAP norms in Delhi
Residents call for tighter regulation of waste plants under GRAP norms in Delhi
Harbai, a 56-year-old resident of Metro Vihar JJ Colony in north-west Delhi's Bawana, says she often clears layers of black ash from the terrace of her four-storey residence. “A few years ago, we couldn't figure out where all this dust was coming from. But now we know there is a plant nearby that burns garbage, which emits this black ash,” she recalls.
Her neighbour, 59-year-old Somvati, says she struggles with breathlessness every morning. “It feels like some residue always sits in my throat. People with asthma or other lung problems suffer even more,” she says.
Less than 2 km away stands the 24 MW waste-to-energy (WTE) plant, run through a public-private partnership between the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and Re-Sustainability. Residents of nearby villages, Holambi Khurd, Sonath, Holambi Kalan and Naya Bans, report similar health concerns. On the day of The Hindu's visit, the air quality index (AQI) in the Bawana Industrial Area was slightly higher than that of New Delhi.
Even during GRAP III restrictions, which curb industrial activity, these plants continue operating because they are classified as “essential services”.
Delhi's four WTE plants in Bawana, Tekhand, Okhla, and Ghazipur operate round the clock and together process around 7,500 tonnes of the 11,300 tonnes of mixed waste generated daily. The remaining waste piles up in landfills. Government rules mandate regular health facilities and medical camps for residents within a 5-km radius of such plants. But villagers say these are rare. “There are so many industries here now. We are told everything is safe, but we live with the impact,” said Lekh Ram, 49, from Holambi Khurd.
At the Bawana facility, a senior employee said around 85 garbage trucks arrive daily and often make multiple rounds, and over 200 workers handle the waste.
“All the waste is unsegregated. Machines sort it in several rounds, but they can only do so much, given the condition in which we receive it,” he said.
He insisted that the plant follows all prescribed norms, provides safety gear to workers, and undergoes DPCC inspections every three months.
A Jindal Group representative, which operates the Okhla and Tekhand plants, said fly ash and bottom ash are stored in sealed silos or sent to approved landfills, while plants use flue-gas systems to trap acidic pollutants.
Plastics like PVC are separated before burning to prevent the release of toxic fumes.
Parth Kumar of the Centre for Science and Environment said proper source segregation is essential as toxins remain in combustible material when waste arrives mixed.
“These plants are inside the city where people live. When residents raise concerns, GRAP-like norms should be prepared,” Mr. Kumar said, adding that clear information must be provided on which pollutants are being tracked and their emission levels for “greater transparency”.
Published - November 24, 2025 01:41 am IST
Source: TheHindu
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