Toxic Waste Incinerator Plant in Okhla Leaves Residents Suffering from Health Issues
New Delhi: The Timarpur-Okhla waste-to-energy incinerator plant in south Delhi's Okhla area is facing widespread criticism for its environmental and health damages, leaving residents with respiratory problems and other serious illnesses.
The plant, which handles over 2,000 tons of waste every day through incineration, has been accused of emitting toxic pollutants including arsenic, lead, and cadmium. These pollutants have led to a rise in cases of respiratory tract infections, skin disorders, and even cancer among residents living near the facility.
Residents such as 78-year-old Dev Kumar Bansal from Comprehensive Colony have reported breathing difficulties, persistent coughs, headaches, and weakness due to prolonged exposure to toxic ash and air pollution. The situation has become so dire that Bansal feels it is becoming increasingly difficult for him to go out for a walk without experiencing health problems.
Medical experts such as Dr. Shailendra Bhadoria have attributed the rise in cases of asthma and respiratory diseases among residents directly to emissions from the plant. However, despite previous warnings about not adhering to pollution control standards, the facility is now undergoing an expansion from 23 MW to 40 MW, sparking renewed concerns among residents.
The situation has taken a turn for the worse with Delhi's air quality indexes reaching hazardous levels in recent days. The Indian government needs to adopt cleaner waste management practices such as segregation and recycling of waste instead of resorting to toxic incineration methods.
"We must act now to mitigate the damage and cushion residents from the toxins emitted by this facility. We can't afford to ignore the long-term consequences of burning mixed waste," said environmentalist Bhavreen Kandhari.
According to Atin Biswas, a senior researcher at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), industrial waste incineration creates hazardous pollutants such as CO2 and SO2 that harm human health. This lack of care highlights a larger issue with India's approach to waste management.
As tensions rise over the plant's expansion plans, residents are bracing themselves for further suffering due to environmental pollution.