Delhi landfills to vanish in 2026: CM Rekha Gupta

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has pledged that the national capital’s long-standing landfill sites will be flattened by 2026, signalling an intensified push to resolve Delhi’s chronic waste management crisis. In her New Year message, Rekha Gupta said the coming year would focus squarely on delivering outcomes on commitments already announced, with solid waste management emerging as a top priority.

Calling 2025 a year of groundwork, the Chief Minister said 2026 would be about taking government initiatives to completion. She underlined that Delhi’s first biogas plant was inaugurated in 2025 and announced that several more such facilities would be established to reduce landfill dependence and promote waste-to-energy solutions. Gupta issued a strong message to those responsible for creating the city’s “garbage mountains,” asserting that the dumps would be systematically removed.

She also highlighted progress in other environmental initiatives, noting that steps had been initiated to set up dedicated facilities for the treatment of electronic waste. New mechanised cleaning equipment has been deployed to improve city cleanliness, while practices such as open burning and bonfires have been curbed. Stressing the urgency of clearing landfill sites, Gupta said efforts on this front would be significantly intensified in the year ahead.

Beyond sanitation, the Chief Minister outlined key policy initiatives rolled out in 2025. These include the introduction of an education law aimed at preventing arbitrary school fee hikes, the implementation of free medical treatment of up to Rs 10 lakh under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, and the launch of Atal Canteens, which provide subsidised meals at Rs 5.

Partnering IIT Kanpur to End Air Pollution

Meanwhile, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa stated that the government is exploring a collaboration with IIT Kanpur to deploy an AI-based, data-driven system to tackle air pollution. He said that this would help identify pollution sources at a micro level, scientifically assess their impact, and enable continuous monitoring, forecasting and timely action.