Now, separate tender to clear 4 MT of Bhagtanwala waste
After the conclusion of undergoing a massive job of removal of 11 lakh metric tonne of legacy waste, the Municipal Corporation would eliminate the remaining four lakh metric tonnes of waste at Bhagtanwala dump. Earlier, the MC had hired a private firm to clear 11 lakh MT of garbage and work is going on at the site.
Now, the Municipal Corporation has floated a fresh tender to dispose of the remaining four lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste at the Bhagtanwala dump. The tender is scheduled to be opened on February 23 and the selected agency will be required to complete the work within seven months. Once the process is completed, nearly 15 lakh metric tonnes of waste would have been removed from the decades-old dump site, bringing major relief to residents of adjoining localities, who have long suffered from pollution and foul air. The Bhagtanwala dump has long been a source of environmental concern. Massive garbage mounds ranging from 25 feet in height dominate the site. During summer, incidents of fire are frequent, often leading to the spread of toxic smoke across a radius of three to four kilometres. In one such incident in the past, machinery engaged in bio-remediation by a private firm was destroyed in a blaze. Apart from air pollution, leachate seeping from the garbage mounds has been posing a threat to groundwater quality in surrounding areas.
Under the existing contract, Eco Stan Company is carrying out bio-remediation at the site. So far, around 3 lakh metric tonnes of waste have been processed, freeing nearly four acres of land from garbage. A joint topographic survey conducted by the Municipal Corporation and the company estimated that nearly 15 lakh metric tonnes of waste had accumulated at the site over the years. With 11 lakh metric tonnes targeted in the earlier phase, the civic body has now initiated the process to eliminate the remaining four lakh metric tonnes without delay.
Meanwhile, the Municipal Corporation has also floated tenders to clear 1.94 lakh metric tonnes of waste at the Jhabbal Road and Narayangarh dump sites within four months. The tenders for these sites will open on February 19. Of the total waste, 1.37 lakh metric tonnes lie at Jhabbal Road and around 57,000 metric tonnes at Narayangarh. The MC has prepared estimates of Rs 7.50 crore for Jhabbal Road and Rs 4.50 crore for Narayangarh and sent them to Chandigarh for approval.
Mayor Jatinder Singh Bhatia said that apart from Bhagtanwala, waste lying at other locations would also be scientifically processed in a phased manner. He added that a second tender for Bhagtanwala had been floated to ensure that the site is made garbage-free without unnecessary delay.
