Amritsar's Bhagtanwala dump waste remediation work to restart

The long-pending bio-remediation work at the Bhagtanwala dump site is all set to restart, renewing hopes and doubts among residents living near the garbage-laden zone. The municipal corporation has once again moved ahead with efforts to clear the legacy waste that has been piling up at Bhagtanwala for decades.

Despite repeated claims and inaugurations by previous governments, all previous attempts to begin bio-remediation failed to deliver the results. This had left local residents, especially those living near the dump site, disillusioned and doubtful about the latest promise.

Municipal Commissioner Gulpreet Singh stated that a fresh tender had been issued for the disposal of 11 lakh metric tonnes of waste at Bhagtanwala through bio-remediation. The tender, with an estimated cost of Rs 46.34 crore, received bids from four companies — BVG, Ecostan Infra, Green Tech Environ and Akansha Enterprises. The technical bids were opened on July 4 and the financial bids yesterday.

Ecostan Infra emerged as the lowest bidder, quoting Rs 36.54 crore, approximately 21% below the projected cost. The tender will now be sent for approval to the Chief Engineer’s Committee of the Local Government Department. Upon approval, an agreement will be signed between the MC and the selected company.

As per the tender conditions, the company is required to complete the bio-remediation of all 11 lakh tonnes of waste within 15 months. Once completed, the Bhagtanwala dump, a long-standing source of pollution and health concerns, will be fully cleared.

Commissioner Gulpreet Singh added that separate tenders had also been floated for waste collection, its transportation, processing and disposal in ward Nos. 41 and 44. These tenders are expected to be opened soon and action will follow promptly.

While the past governments, particularly the previous Congress regime, frequently promised action through election manifestos and political statements, very little was actually achieved on the ground. Locals also expressed disappointment with the Aam Aadmi Party’s lack of attention to the issue. However, Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar, MLA from Amritsar South, claimed that the issuance of this tender was a result of his efforts and commitment to resolving the problem.

Meanwhile, residents remained cautiously hopeful, waiting to see whether this latest attempt would finally bring them relief from the mountain of garbage in their neighbourhood.