Under the Garbage Free Cities vision, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has approved Rs 235 crore to Andhra Pradesh, the largest one-time approval of for legacy dumpsite restoration.
The Centre will contribute Rs 77.66 crore towards this initiative, with the state covering the remainder.
What are legacy dumpsites
Legacy dumpsites, according to the housing and urban affairs ministry, are a severe environmental danger and contribute to air and Water Pollution. Legacy dumpsites are nothing but mineralized and decomposed organic waste which is mixed with sand, silt, and fragments of demolition and construction waste.
Cleaning these dumpsites is essential not only for changing the countrys landscape but also for addressing public Health and environmental problems.
About the mission
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 on October 1, 2021, with the goal of achieving Garbage Free Cities by the year 2026.
One of the primary aims of the Mission is to clean 16 crore metric tonnes of legacy garbage dumpsites which are occupying almost 15,000 acres of municipal land.
At present 118 metric tonnes of uncleaned legacy wastes is present across the state occupying over 463 acres of land.
Conclusion
At present, dumpsite clearance is a priority with more than 260 cities from five different states and Union Territories have submitted their legacy waste clean-up action plans to the government, showing their dedication towards the vision of garbage-free cities.