‘Black Everest’
I experienced the happiest days of my life last month. After 13 years I went to my aunt’s house, our ancestral home in Bhawalpur district of Bihar. Out of 18 years of my life in Bhalswa, near a huge garbage dump in Jahangirpuri, Delhi, I have been my postal address for 13 years. Due to the lack of cleanliness in my residential area, I had forgotten what fresh air meant to us. We the children of Bhalswa call the mountain of garbage Black Everest. Though it is a source of livelihood for most of the residents here, but this mountain is also the cause of most of our problems. Because of this, we have to breathe foul-smelling air. Garbage catches fire every day during summer. While the smoke makes it almost impossible for us to breathe, the temperature in the area also rises. However, local residents have reconciled to the waste, its smoke and smell.
two different worlds
Since I live in the same room with my three siblings and parents, I like open space. I find the view of the trees and forests quite relaxing. On the contrary, I have a completely opposite world to live in. Despite the dangerous living conditions and toxic air in the dustbins of the Bhalswas, they keep on dumping Delhi’s waste as if the people here don’t care. Inside the locality, all the drains near our educational institution located at Durga Chowk are completely choked. Sewage spills onto the streets. Due to splashing of dirty water from the wheels of the vehicles, there is a danger of getting the clothes of the passengers dirty.
rain as nuisance
dairy farm and gaushalas increasing the problem in the area. Poor handling and disposal of bovine dung, fodder residue, cattle urine and waste water have added to the pollution problem. Drains clogged with solid waste have become breeding grounds for germs. No wonder, flies and mosquitoes roost. Work on an underground drainage project was cut short when the first COVID-induced lockdown was imposed. The main road here was dug up for the project and even after the pipe was laid, the road was blackened, leaving mounds of loose soil. And when it rains, dirty, dirty water seeps into our homes. All the lanes and lanes of the low-lying areas are filled with sewage, making it very difficult for the residents, especially children, the elderly, the infirm and the sick, to move out or out of their homes.
health risk
Not surprisingly, you have hardly seen people living a healthy life here. Respiratory problem is the most common health problem among residents. Children also complain of sore eyes and throat in addition to cough, headache and dizziness. Some of them suffer from skin allergies. Despite the perennial pollution problem, most households in the region burn biomass for cooking. The government should provide LPG to the residents. smoke from chulhas Ruining the health of girls and women as they are the ones who run the kitchen and cook the food.
clean India
Seeing the advertisements of Swachh Bharat Mission, I often wonder if our locality will ever benefit from this. This campaign has not yet come forward to help our area. On several occasions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has hailed young children as true ambassadors of the Swachh Bharat Mission, which seems to be close to his heart. The children of my locality also deserve a clean environment. Our locality should have a proper drainage system, paved lanes and lanes while its residents need adequate public toilets and bathing space.
At times a thought flashes in my mind whether our sad plight will ever get the attention of the Prime Minister. If he wants, Black Everest and at least 50 percent of our problems related to it can disappear in no time. This is going to have a tremendous positive impact on the lives of the people living near the Bhalswa landfill.
Even dreaming about it feels like a breath of fresh air!
(It appeared in the print edition as “The Pollution Diary”)
Mehjabi Khatoon is a student of the school of rag pickers and their children in Jahangirpuri, Delhi.
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