PMC unveils ₹9 crore scientific landfill to manage city waste
The special thing is that this scientific landfill has been created for disposing of mountains of garbage (legacy waste).
As part of Prayagraj Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) efforts to make the city’s waste disposal and management more effective, a modern scientific landfill (SLF) has been constructed in an area of 40,000 square metres in Baswar at Naini, informed municipal officials.
According to the officials, it is more effective, safe and environmentally friendly than traditional waste disposal methods. The special thing is that this scientific landfill has been created for disposing of mountains of garbage (legacy waste) and is specially designed for disposal of inert waste that is generated after processing fresh and old waste, they shared.
Scientific landfilling is a method of waste disposal that focuses on engineered design and management to minimise environmental impact and health risks. It involves constructing a landfill with multiple layers, including a basal lining, leachate collection system, and capping system, to prevent contamination of soil and groundwater. Additionally, scientific landfills can also include features like vegetative cover, vertical wells for methane extraction, and other technologies to treat waste and potentially generate energy.
Built at a cost of about ₹9 crore, this landfill has a capacity of 4 lakh cubic metres and with proper management, it will be able to dispose of inert waste for the next 15 to 20 years, maintain officials.
Additional municipal commissioner Dipendra Yadav described this initiative as effective for the city’s waste management. He said that through this scientific landfill, not only will safe disposal of waste be ensured, but environmental protection will also be given priority. This project is an example of how the city can be made clean, green, and pollution-free by adopting scientific and engineering measures. This scientific landfill will give a new dimension to the waste management system of Prayagraj, he added.
Leachate treatment plant worth ₹4 crore ready
With an aim to keep groundwater clean, Prayagraj Municipal Corporation has set up a modern leachate treatment plant (LTP) with a capacity of 150 kilolitres per day (KLD) in Baswar at a cost of ₹4 crore.
The main objective of this plant is to treat the harmful leachate generated from the decomposition of waste, so that it can become safe for the environment and water sources, officials said.
The amount of TDS (total dissolved solids), pH (potential of hydrogen) and TSS (total suspended solids) in leachate is very high, which pollutes the water. If this polluted water is used or gets mixed with any other water source, it can cause serious health problems. Also, the risk of water-borne diseases can increase.
Considering the importance of leachate treatment, this LTP of 150 KLD capacity has been built with five years of operation and maintenance by the selected agency. This will ensure the safety of the environment and groundwater. This initiative will help in maintaining the availability of clean water in the area and reduce the negative impacts on people’s health, said additional municipal commissioner, Dipendra Yadav.
The treated water can be used for agricultural purposes, ensuring better use of water resources. “Effective treatment of leachate will help in pollution control, and prevention of water-borne diseases will be possible. Successful implementation of this project can become an exemplary model for other areas in future,” said Prayagraj mayor, Ganesh Kesarwani.
