It’s been more than 16 months since dumping of waste in landfills at Mandur North and Mandur South was stopped. Yet, the communities living nearby continue to put up with stench and have to contend with mosquito and fly menace, not to mention health issues associated with groundwater contamination.
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has now taken steps towards bio-mining the accumulated waste in the landfills. It had issued a tender, estimated at Rs. 88.5 crore, in April and held a pre-bid meeting last week. The tender is open for bidding till May 22.
Sarfaraz Khan, BBMP’s Joint Commissioner, solid waste management, said that the accumulated waste would first be put through a sieve to separate large chunks of waste. The rest can either be composted or used to generate biogas.
“Bidders can chose to either compost or generate biogas, or a combination of both,” he said. Leachate treatment plants would be established at both the landfills.
In three years, bio-mining will be completed, the ground would be levelled and a lung space will be created. “As of now, the accumulated waste stands over 13 metres above the ground,” he said.
Meanwhile, Gopal Rao, member of Mandur Gram Panchayat, said that the gram panchayat was not taken into confidence before the tender was floated.
“We want to check the clauses. We also demand that the BBMP constitute a committee that also includes panchayat members and is empowered to oversee the implementation of the project,” he said.
Cost of waste
Total extent of 2 landfills at Mandur: 135 acres
Garbage dumping at Mandur began in 2008
Dumping stopped
on December 1, 2014
Over 1,800 tonnes
were being sent to the landfills daily
Estimated quantum
of historical waste:
24 lakh tonnes
Estimated cost of
bio-mining: Rs. 88.5 crore
