Will try to clear Bhalswa dump in a year, says Khattar

Union Urban Affairs Minister M. L. Khattar urged citizens as well as political leaders on Monday (September 15, 2025) to adopt legacy dumpsites across the country and coordinate with urban local bodies to remove the waste and use the land for more productive purposes.

Mr. Khattar said he has decided to clear up the Bhalaswa landfill site in Delhi and would begin working with Delhi municipal authorities beginning September 17 and try to complete the work within a year.

Legacy dumpsites are outdated, unscientifically managed landfills that contain decades of untreated waste that pose significant environmental and health risks.

At a press conference in the national capital, the Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs said that he has sought land from the Delhi Development Authority to try and shift the Bhalaswa dumpsite.

September 17 marks the beginning of the 15-day Swachhata Hi Seva campaign, which will end on October 2.

Close collaboration

Mr. Khattar said that the plan’s success will depend on close collaboration among agencies, ensuring land availability, proper waste processing, and uninterrupted project execution. “We will start from Bhalaswa and clean it in one year. Work on the other landfill sites in Delhi will also be taken up.”

Asserting that the earlier deadlines to clear the landfill had been missed due to rains, protests, and logistical hurdles, he  insisted the fresh plan would be backed by “clear targets and accountability.”

He also said that the initiative would extend to Delhi’s other two landfill sites of Ghazipur and Okhla, where clearance work is already underway.

Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil said better waste management was also essential for water security, adding, “We are making every possible effort to divert water quickly to states facing shortages, and our farmers will prosper, and people’s drinking-water problems will be solved.”

Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) 2025 is a nationwide annual campaign that runs from September 17 to October 2. The initiative seeks to promote sanitation and cleanliness by encouraging mass voluntary participation for a “garbage-free India.”