A plot of about 35 acres is to be acquired at Rashapunja near Joka State Urban Development Department and then developed with the help of the West Bengal Pollution Control Board to set up a sanitary landfill with adequate precautions to ensure that “leachate” (a liquid that dissolves harmful substances in the environment) can enter) does not go into groundwater. . Along with this, provisions will also be made to prevent the problem of methane getting stuck in the ground and catching fire in Dhapa for years.
Sources in KMC’s municipal solid waste-handling department said the civic body had sent a proposal for a scientific landfill at Rashpunja to the urban development department and called for handing over it at the earliest so that the landfill preparation could start. When this landfill site is ready, the waste generated in large parts of South Kolkata, especially in connected areas such as Behala, Garden Reach, Tollygunge and Jadavpur will be taken to this site instead of being carried to Dhapa in East Kolkata.
Dhapa itself is undergoing a major transformation, with KMC undertaking a revamping project in which 60 acres will be converted into a sanitary landfill. The area will be carved out of the existing Dhapa Dumping Ground, to recover metals and other non-biodegradable waste already dumped there by bio-mining the waste.
According to sources, private firms have been roped in for the ambitious reform work. In all, 40 lakh tonnes of waste will be taken out in phases. “First 9 lakh tonnes of garbage will be removed, followed by 1.4 million tonnes and then 17 lakh tonnes,” an official said.
Biodegradable waste will be converted into compost. The recovered plastic waste will be converted into molded furniture. For this, two plants have been set up in Dhapa. “At the end of the recycling process, we will convert the entire area into a sanitary landfill site for scientific disposal of the waste,” said an official from the KMC solid waste management department. 260 crores project has been taken up following orders National Green Tribunal.
However, before the completion of the project, KMC wants to make segregation of waste at source mandatory for households. “We will ensure segregation of waste in phases in all 144 wards. Once the makeover is complete, we cannot allow the mixed waste to reach Dhapa or Rashpunja. We may need to impose fine on those who do not follow the rule of isolation,” said the official.
.