Mira Bhayandar: MBMC starts clearing garbage hill in Uttan, College of Engineering in Pune requested to identify total amount of waste

In a much-needed relief for local villagers, the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) appointed agency has finally started the work of scientifically disposing-off the huge volume of unprocessed garbage that has accumulated at the uphill dumping yard in Dhavgi village near Uttan in Bhayandar.

MBMC to get rid of the garbage

Following an uproar by villagers against the health hazard due to the emanating smell, the judiciary intervened and had directed the MBMC to get rid of the garbage. The sanitation department of the civic body is saddled with a daunting task of scientifically disposing-off more than 450 metric tonnes of garbage generated in the twin-city on a daily basis. To tackle the burgeoning garbage woes, the MBMC needs to achieve 100 percent segregation. However, the segregation figures continue to hover below 70 percent. The remaining unsegregated garbage which is termed as legacy waste has accumulated and transformed into a thrash mountain which is rising for the past more than seven years.

College of Engineering to identify the total amount of waste

The MBMC roped in the College of Engineering, Pune to verify the exact quantity under Bio Mining Legacy Waste Remediation process. After ascertaining the exact quantity of the thrash as 9.09 lakh metric tonnes, the Nashik-based agency was handed over the work order, last month. “Although a period of 12 months has been given for the completion of the project, the agency has been asked to keep the work on an accelerator mode to clear the garbage hills and bring the land to its original form, before the onset of monsoon.” said MBMC chief- Dilip Dhole.  Approved under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), the project carries an estimated price tag of Rs. 52 crore.

The bio mining envisages an efficient zero-emission mechanism, which involves scientific disposal to churn out manure from the decomposed waste and process non-recyclable but combustible waste such as plastic and wood into refuse-derived fuel (RDF) for industrial use.

Leachate Woes

Apart from an adverse impact on the environment owing to its faulty geographical location, the mountain of garbage has not only become the reason for unbearable stench and health hazard, but the leachate liquid sliding down the hillside from the garbage yard is contaminating farmlands, allege villagers. Moreover the frequent fires give way to gas-laced smoke leading to various medical complications like cough, breathlessness, headaches and uneasiness among villagers, especially senior citizens.