80K tonnes of waste biomined so far, says MC

Bhagtanwala dump: Locals express dissatisfaction over bioremediation process

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 24

A solid waste management firm hired by the Amritsar Municipal Corporation has cleared a large portion of Bhagtanwala dump yard through bioremediation process.

According to the Municipal Corporation officials, around 80,000 metric tonnes of garbage has been composed in the last four months. A compost pad has also been prepared for decomposing green waste to produce manure.

Following the guidelines of the National Green Tribunal, the MC constructed a boundary wall around the dump, but failed to plant saplings.

Around six trimble machines were separating Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) from garbage and the RDF would be sent to cement factories.

In next step, the company would install waste-to-energy plant after recycling 10 lakh metric tonnes of garbage. According to MC officials, the energy plant would convert garbage into green coal by pyrolysis process.

Municipal Health Officer Dr Ajay Kawar said, “So far, 80,000 metric tonnes of waste has been biomined at Bhagtanwala dump. With this speed, the waste-to-energy plant will be installed within the proposed time and the entire garbage will be processed in two years.”

***Residents not satisfied

Meanwhile, locals and office-bearers of the Sanji Sangharsh Committee, who had been protesting to shift the dump expressed dissatisfaction over bioremediation.

Sanjay Sharma, general secretary, Sanji Sangharsh Committee, said, “The Congress leaders, including Capt Amarinder Singh, Manpreet Badal, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Gurjit Singh Aujla and Inderbir Singh Bolaria had promised to shift the dump. The bioremediation is an eyewash and garbage is going nowhere. The firm will burn it instead of processing. Machines and compost pad are just for inspection teams. We urge the authorities concerned to shift the dump yard out from the city.”