Around 2.16 crore tonnes of solid waste has been removed from the three landfill sites across the capital, with 100 acres of land reclaimed from legacy waste, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Sunday.

Of this, around 70 lakh tonnes of waste was processed at Okhla, freeing 35 acres. At Bhalswa, around 102 lakh tonnes was processed, with 45 acres reclaimed. Another 44 lakh tonnes of waste was processed at Ghazipur, freeing 20 acres of land.

The inert material generated during the waste processing is being used in construction of roads and filling up low lying areas, the chief minister said.

Gupta further said Delhi government’s waste remediation measures are not limited to addressing legacy waste but also involve advance planning in view of future requirements. In this direction, preparations have been completed for setting up four new waste-to-energy plants across the city.

“The government has not only focused on clearing existing garbage mountains but has also planned ahead to ensure such a situation does not arise again,” she said.

Once these plants are operational, Delhi will have the capacity to process its daily waste on the same day, ensuring that garbage does not continue to accumulate, Gupta said.