New Delhi:
The promises made during the December 2022 MCD elections had rekindled hopes for a better life among the people of Bhalswa village, located on the slopes of a huge mountain of garbage in Delhi’s North-West district. Two years have passed since then, but the people of Bhalswa are facing worsening conditions amid increasing health concerns.

Ahead of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections, both the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had made the three landfill sites in the capital a major election issue. But, the people of Bhalswa regret that they did not see any significant change after the elections because all the promises of the political parties remained in vain.

Ankit Kumar (22), a resident of Bhalswa, said about the problems in his area, “We have been struggling with this problem for many years. No one is safe here, not even animals. There is only plastic in the stomachs of cows.

Ankit has recently recovered from ‘Tuberculosis’ (TB).

Expressed disappointment on leaders’ promises

Pointing to the environmental and health hazards in the area, Ankit Kumar said, “Throughout the year someone in our family falls ill. At the time of elections, the leaders had made big promises, which they forgot immediately after the elections. A water pipeline has been laid recently, but this is the only change that is visible.

The visuals of Bhalswa speak for themselves – houses built on the banks of garbage heaps, children playing on garbage heaps and birds circling in the sky in search of food.

Although heavy machinery can be seen working at the site, people claim this is far from a sustainable cleanup effort.

Questions raised on the indifference of officials

For sixty-year-old Poonam Devi, the landfill site is a constant reminder of the indifference of the authorities.

Poonam Devi said, “We have not seen any drastic steps being taken after the elections. They show great intentions but do not work even an inch.

Recalling a painful incident, he said, “Two years ago, a part of the garbage mountain collapsed and my entire house got buried under it.”

Echoing similar concerns, local resident Rita (45) said her six-day-old granddaughter was trapped when a part of the garbage mountain collapsed.

Rita said “We saved him ourselves; No one came forward to help. Politicians make big promises, but nothing changes on the ground. How long will we remain locked in our homes? We have to go out to earn our livelihood.

Children play on the dangerous slopes of the landfill

The children of Bhalswa village also face a grim reality. With no proper playground in the area, they often play on the dangerous slopes of the landfill.

Nine-year-old Arhaan said, “We play on the mountain of garbage because the park here is also full of garbage.” We do get hurt by the bricks and glass thrown here.

Highlighting another risk, Abdul Rahman, 10, said, “The park is full of garbage and electrical wires. Some of my friends got injured because of the wires. There is nothing for us here.

Environmentalists have also expressed concern

Environmentalists have also expressed concern over the situation. “Living so close to a landfill has serious consequences,” said environmental activist Bhavreen Kandhari. Toxic smoke, contaminated water and uncontrolled dumping are harming not only the residents but also the surrounding ecosystem.

Preparations for the assembly elections are in full swing in the national capital, but residents of Bhalswa are skeptical about any real change.

Rita said, “A political party will win the elections, form the government and then sit at home.”

The slum residents of Bhalswa are demanding immediate action to end the growing crisis in the area.

(Except the headline, this story has not been edited by the NewsDeskReport team and is published directly from a syndicated feed.)