Minister inaugurates much-awaited legacy waste bioremediation project in Ludhiana

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, November 8

The much-awaited project for bioremediation of legacy waste was launched here on Tuesday. Local Bodies Minister Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar inaugurated a legacy waste bioremediation plant at the Tajpur Road dump site, near Kakka today. The plant will process five lakh metric tonne (LMT) of legacy waste in its first phase of functioning in the next 22 months.

The first phase of the project, which is a part of the Ludhiana Smart City Mission, will cost Rs 27.17 crore.

The total area of the landfill site on Tajpur Road is 51.36 acre and is situated about 15 km from the city. MC officials said the accumulated legacy waste at the site is approximately 25 LMT.

Minister Nijjar said the process for disposing of the legacy waste accumulated at the site would be carried out through the bioremediation process in two phases. He added that the work of the first phase had been awarded to Sagar Motors, which would process 1,440 tons of waste per day at the plant by using zero landfill technology. The contractor had also agreed to deploy extra machinery at the site to complete the work before the deadline, the minister said.

He also pointed out that tenders for the second phase of the project, would deal with the remaining 19.62 LMT of legacy waste, had already been floated.

Dr Nijjar said the project would provide relief to city residents from the foul smell emanating from the garbage dump site. He added that solid waste management was one of the biggest challenges for cities and the state government was making sincere efforts to make Punjab clean and green by scientific disposal of solid waste.

The minister was also accompanied by MLAs Daljit Singh Grewal, Hardeep Singh Mundian, Madan Lal Bagga, Mayor Balkar Singh Sandhu, MC Commissioner Shena Aggarwal and DC Surabhi Malik on the occasion.

Notably, around 1,100 tonnes of garbage is generated in the city on a daily basis. However, the MC is yet to take steps to ensure the processing of daily waste. The MC’s waste processing plant has been lying closed since February, 2021.

25 LMT waste accumulated at dumpsite

The total area of the landfill site on Tajpur Road is 51.36 acre and is situated about 15 km from the city. MC officials said the accumulated legacy waste at the site is approximately 25 LMT. During the first phase of the project, which was inaugurated on Tuesday, 5 LMT of the legacy waste would be processed within 22 months.

No arrangement for disposal of ‘daily’ waste

The project is will process the legacy waste accumulated at the city’s dumpsite over years. It does not cater to the new waste being generated daily in the city. Notably, around 1,100 tonnes of garbage are generated Ludhiana daily. However, the MC is yet to take steps to ensure the processing of daily waste. Its waste processing plant has been lying closed since February, 2021.

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