India’s ‘garbage mountain’ is 'slowly poisoning' people and its size is unbelievable
It's a landfill site that was set up more than 40 years ago. But in the year of 2025, the so-called 'garbage mountain' of India is causing real problems for those living in the shadow of the rubbish heap.
A colossal site overlooking the eastern edges of Delhi, the monstrous garbage heap stretches 236 feet into the skies while spanning an area that is 70 acres in size.
To put it into context, it's as tall as a 20 storey tower block and takes up a space equivalent to around 50 football pitches placed side by side.
Roughly 14 million metric tonnes of filth call the site home. And it is all humanity's own fault.
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Officially known as the Ghazipur landfill, it has become known as the garbage mountain of Delhi due to its towering nature over the city's residential blocks in the nearby vicinity.
Set up back in 1984, it was a landfill for general waste. And despite it hitting capacity in 2002 it continues to receive solid waste from across Delhi to this very day.
It's an eyesore. And an eyesore that is becoming more and more toxic to those who have no choice but to live in the area surrounding it.
With toxic gases leaking from the site to poisoning the ground water around the site, it is also an incredible fire hazard that, when alight, brings with it toxic fumes and significant health and breathing problems for those living close.
Speaking to Sky News this week, Dr Arshad Khan, a GP practicing in the local area overlooked by the landfill for the last 14 years, said the mountain of rubbish is 'a slow poisoning of people living here'.
"The poison enters their bodies through the air weakening their immunity and medicines are not as effective as they should be," Dr Khan said.
At times, the huge site has collapsed under the weight of itself, with 50 million tonnes of garbage giving way in 2017 in an incident that crushed people, cars and buildings.
Residents have had enough. And for decades on end, politicians have promised them change. But its never come, with the trash mountain growing and growing as time goes by.
Ibrahim Khan, 71, has lived in the area for the past 40 years.
He said: "I have only seen it grow, all governments have promised to solve this problem but do nothing. Every person living around it is getting sick, and it's difficult to breathe.
"I am a heart patient and have breathing difficulties."
Another resident is 44-year-old Parveen Khatum, who told Sky: "My body is drying up, I'm less than half my size now, I have difficulty breathing and gets more difficult if I lie down. I feel very anxious and my head and limbs hurt."
Next to the landfill site is a canal, completely black in colour from pollutants ranging from animal carcasses to plastic and who knows what chemicals. Local people deserve better.
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Tom Earnshaw