04 May,2019 08:22 PM IST | | IANS
Garbage in Ghazipur
On Google, there are, in fact, now over 100 reviews of the garbage dump. And the "highly recommended" place, which is now threatening to surpass the height of the Qutub Minar, is drawing some of the sharpest sarcasm-filled reviews.
If one reviewer called it the "must go place with your friends, family and business partners," another termed it the "best location for a family outing".
"Do try the Punjabi salad at the food court here," wrote another, in an attempt to highlight, ironically, the unhygienic place that gives off a particularly powerful stench.
Most waste generated in the east, central and Old Delhi find its way to the Ghazipur landfill. There are two other landfills in Delhi -- one at Okhla (in the south) and the other at Bhalswa (in the north).
A constant source of air pollution and accidents, nearly one percent of the "over-saturated" Ghazipur landfill collapsed in September 2017, claiming two lives.
Even as the waste management rules call for effective recycling and have set a 20-meter cap on landfill sites, Delhi's huge un-engineered dumping grounds have grown by several meters over the years, leading people to resort to sarcasm in an attempt to attract the authorities' attention to the site.
"This mountain is a treat to watch. Why do we drive to hilly places to see hills? We have our own mountain here, made by us in collaboration with the government. Trekking with the help of plastic is a must do an activity (sic)," wrote a user who gave four stars to the "mountain of garbage".
"Great place for foreign tourists who want to see the 'real India'," said another who also gave the landfill four stars. The overall current rating of the garbage dump on Google is 3.4.
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