Indore treated 15 lakh metric tonnes in just 3 years

NEW DELHI: With the Indore model of flattening a landfill as the guiding light, work at Okhla, Ghazipur and Bhalswa will begin from October 1 — in accordance with the deadline set by NGT. In just three years, by using 20 trommel machines and biomining and bioremediation techniques, the city managed to chip away 15 lakh metric tonnes of waste at a cost of around Rs 10 crore. A similar experiment was successfully carried out in Ahmedabad too.
Bioremediation involves introducing microbes into a landfill to naturally “break” it down.Biomining, on the other hand, involves using trommel machines to sift through the waste to separate the “soil” and waste components. In the first year in Indore, only 1 lakh metric tonnes of waste could be processed, with experts making use of two trommel machines taken on rent. In the second year, no extra machines were added but more headway was made in terms of managing the waste.
Dr Asad Warsi, an expert who worked on the Indore model and was consulted by NGT, said the remaining 13 lakh metric tonnes was tackled in the third year itself by taking more trommel machines on rent and involving a number of agencies that were willing to work at a pre-decided cost. Warsi said the three corporations in Delhi have been asked to take a minimum of two trommel machines each, targeting a total of 10 such machines in the first phase.
“At Bhalswa, there is space for nine machines to begin with. A total of 10 machines will be spread across the three landfills and once more space is created, the number can be increased,” Warsi said.
Taking cognizance of a TOI report on leachate at landfills, NGT has directed the three corporations to emulate the Indore model in reducing the heights, eventually flattening out the area to construct a biodiversity park or forest there. The project will be carried out at a cost of Rs 250 crore, with half of the cost being borne by Delhi government.