By Nidhi Dua
Economic progress and increased consumerism have posed a critical challenge of handling rising waste volumes, particularly in urban cities. This issue needs immediate and long-term solutions. As per a report released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in 2021-22, India generated approximately 160,038 tonnes per day (tpd) of municipal solid waste (MSW), of which 799,563 tpd was treated through various methods whereas 29,427.2 tpd of waste was sent to landfills. Urban India produced about 42 million tonnes of MSW annually, that is, 115,000 tpd, of which 83,378 tpd was generated in 423 Class I cities. Waste from these cities accounted for 72.5 per cent of the total waste generated each day, making it a priority issue. The national capital also faces a significant waste crisis, generating up to 11,000 tonnes of MSW per day, the highest among all Indian cities, as per the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (2021-22).
In this context, effective waste management is vital. One of the ways to manage the waste is to generate electricity through waste-to-energy (WtE) plants. While these plants aim to mitigate the growing waste problem, they often face environmental, financial and operational challenges. One such plant and landfill is in Ghazipur, which will be discussed in this article.
Ghazipur landfill and WtE plant
The Ghazipur landfill, established in 1984, is situated in Ghazipur village in the eastern part of Delhi, India. Managed by the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC), the landfill spans about 70 acres with a height exceeding 46 metres. Over the years, it has become one of Delhi’s largest dumpsites. Despite reaching its full capacity in 2002, the landfill still receives solid waste from the city. The landfill has a legacy waste of 14 mt and the estimated cost to clear the dumpsite assigned to EDMC is Rs 1.25 billion, according to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee.
The WtE plant at Ghazipur covers an area of 1,500 square metres. Developed by IL&FS, the plant had a capital expenditure cost of Rs 33.3 million and an overall project cost of Rs 66.6 million. It can process up to 1,300 tonnes of waste and is authorised to generate 12 MW of power.
In 2021, a joint committee comprising representatives of the CPCB, National Environmental Engineering Research Institute and IIT Delhi assessed the environmental damage caused by three dumpsites in Delhi – at Bhalswa, Okhla and Ghazipur. As per reports of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, the total assessed damage costs for New Delhi Municipal Council (Bhalswa), EDMC (Ghazipur) and South Delhi Municipal Corporation (Okhla) landfills amounted to Rs 1.559 billion, Rs 1.425 billion and Rs 1.511 billion respectively. The timelines for achieving 100 per cent remediation were March 2023 for Bhalswa, December 2024 for Ghazipur and December 2023 for Okhla.
According to a progress report submitted by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee in February 2024, efforts to clear legacy waste at Delhi’s landfill sites – Ghazipur, Bhalswa and Okhla – have not met the expected targets. The report highlights that a considerable amount of waste remains uncleared, especially at the Ghazipur landfill, despite the introduction of trommels in 2019. This indicates that there is still a significant challenge in managing and reducing the accumulated waste effectively.
The Ghazipur WtE plant was commissioned in 2011 to address the pressing issue of MSW management in the city by converting a substantial portion of the city’s waste into electricity. Since its inception, the plant has played a critical role in managing Delhi’s waste and contributing to energy generation from renewable sources. However, the plant has faced several issues as well.
Key challenges
The Ghazipur WtE plant has faced several financial, operational, technical and environmental challenges in the past. In its initial years of operation, the plant witnessed significant financial challenges and had a high debt-to-equity ratio that exceeded 5 during 2013-16. This indicates a heavy reliance on borrowings rather than equity for operational funding, leading to financial instability. Following the bankruptcy of IL&FS, the plant ownership was transferred to Ever Enviro Resource Management in 2021, a subsidiary of the Green Growth Equity Fund. The plant has also faced issues regarding consent to operate, which increased operational uncertainties.
Until 2016, the plant generated Rs 1.4 million in revenue. Financial records beyond that year are unavailable, which could show whether revenue generation increased post 2016. The low revenue was possibly affected by operational challenges and changes in ownership. Overall, despite government subsidies and compulsory power purchase agreements, the Ghazipur plant has struggled financially.
Meanwhile, the Ghazipur landfill is plagued by frequent slope failures and fire outbreaks, leading to both environmental and human safety concerns. During the summer months, the Ghazipur landfill catches fire due to soaring temperatures, releasing methane. Landfills like Ghazipur also pose long-term risks as toxins have leached into the ground, contaminating local water supplies over decades. As a result, residents are exposed to many acute and chronic diseases. In fact, the issue of pollution is not just from landfills, WtE plants in Delhi have also faced resistance from residential areas due to complaints of toxic emissions.
Conclusion
The Ghazipur landfill exemplifies the pressing challenges faced by Delhi in MSW management. Despite efforts such as the WtE plant initiated by IL&FS in 2013, significant issues persist, including environmental contamination and health risks for local communities, particularly children. The landfill’s toxic environment underscores the urgent need for comprehensive waste management reforms that prioritise sustainability, public health and community well-being. Initiatives like Gulmeher Green, which provides alternative livelihoods for waste pickers and local women, represent positive steps towards mitigating the social impact of landfill operations. Moving forward, collaborative efforts from the government, the private sector and residents are essential to implement effective waste segregation, recycling and landfill management practices, thereby ensuring a cleaner and healthier future for Delhi’s residents.
The Ghazipur WtE plant, set up to deal with the pressing issue of the Ghazipur landfill, was a significant step towards addressing East Delhi’s MSW challenges by converting a substantial portion of waste into electricity. However, the plant’s operational history has been marked by financial instability, technical challenges and environmental concerns. Despite being the oldest plant, with the potential to process a large volume of waste daily, the plant has not been able to fully alleviate the burden of the Ghazipur landfill.
Tackling the waste crisis and ensuring the efficient operation of the WtE plant should be done simultaneously. The state government should prioritise waste segregation as a crucial step towards addressing the challenges posed by landfills like Ghazipur. Bhopal offers a notable example, where custom machinery and vehicles are used to collect segregated waste, a practice Delhi should emulate. Effective community involvement, as in Bhopal, can help with waste segregation and can significantly reduce the need for mixed waste handling. Indore’s case study in waste segregation is noteworthy as well.
The future outlook for WtE plants often seems less positive given the resistance it received from environmentalists, a debate ongoing in European countries as well. Critics argue that investments in WtE projects overlook potentially more sustainable solutions such as community-based recycling, composting initiatives and decentralised resource recovery programmes. These alternatives have proven to be more environmentally and financially sustainable in the long run.
That said, several countries, including China, have set up a large number of WtE plants to solve the waste crisis. Moving forward, it is important for policymakers to make an informed decision on the future of WtE plants and accordingly grant incentives. In addition, the segment requires technological upgrades and better integration with local waste management strategies. The legacy waste issue of Delhi landfills, including the one at Ghazipur, is indeed a grave one, and all possible solutions, including the use of waste to generate electricity, should be seriously deliberated going forward
