Landfill accident: Rs 1 lakh compensation to kin of deceased

The giant dump at the Ghazipur landfill site stood 60 metres high, nearly as tall as a 15-storey building, before a portion of it gave in yesterday because of heavy rains in the national capital.

A car, scooter and two motorcycles were swept away by the resulting momentum of the garbage and slush, and thrown off into a canal. While Raj Kumari (32) and Abhishek (22) died, five persons were injured in the incident.

The landfill site falls under the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC).

Bhagat, who met the family members of the deceased, said, "The landfill site had reached its saturation point in 2002".

She announced ex gratia of Rs 1 lakh each to the families of the deceased from the mayor's fund.

The Ghazipur landfill is the oldest of its kind in the national capital. It was started in 1984 and is spread over 29 acres.

According to officials, permissible height for a garbage dump is 20 metres. Every day, 2,500 metric tonnes of garbage is dumped at the site.