Bathinda bio-mining project: 2 lakh tonnes of legacy waste to be cleared by Dec 2023

Earlier, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had directed the Bathinda municipal corporation to complete legacy waste bio-remediation by December 2022. After the MC failed to meet the deadline, it sought that the deadline be extended to the end of 2023, to which the Green Tribunal acquiesced.

After years of hanging fire, the municipal corporation has finally set a December 2023 deadline for the bio-mining project, under which around 2 lakh tonnes of legacy waste that has been accumulating at dumping a site on the Bathinda-Mansa Road for around three decades will be treated and removed.

With Bathinda city growing over the last few years, the volume of waste generated has increased, causing foul smell to spread and fire incidents in waste heaps. (HT PHOTO)

While the project has been in the pipeline for years, it failed to take off for a lack of initiative on the part of MC officials. Earlier, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had directed the Bathinda municipal corporation to complete legacy waste bio-remediation by December 2022. After the MC failed to meet the deadline, it sought that the deadline be extended to the end of 2023, to which the Green Tribunal acquiesced.

Municipal commissioner Palavi Choudhary said the local body has initiated the bidding process, and tenders will be opened on September 22. “We will complete bio-remediation within the stipulated time frame,” she said.

Officials say garbage is no longer being dumped on the garbage mountain on the Bathinda-Mansa Road.

MC superintendent engineer Sandeep Gupta said the bio-mining project will entail clearing the legacy waste after segregation of plastic, rags and dust. “Once completed, the MC can reclaim 13 acres of land. We plan to make the best of the space as a landfill. Waste will only be dumped as per scientific specifications, to check environmental degradation,” said Gupta.

“The project will boost the image and score of the city in the annual Swachhta or national hygiene audit,” he added.

With the city growing over the last few years, the volume of waste generated has increased, causing foul smell to spread and fire incidents in waste heaps. Several residential colonies have also mushroomed in the vicinity of the dumping site.