Leachate drains to be built to fix overflow at Bandhwari plant

Local environmentalists alleged that leachate from the Bandhwari landfill is overflowing into the water bodies of the Aravalli forests, polluting these and posing a serious threat to flora and fauna there

Gurugram: The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) on Saturday directed its engineering wing to construct leachate drains on all four sides of the Bandhwari plant so that leachate surplus does not flow out of the plant. These drains, along with an embankment, are expected to prevent the spread of leachate and limit its percolation into the surrounding environment, MCG officials said.

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) on Saturday directed its engineering wing to construct leachate drains on all four sides of the Bandhwari plant so that leachate surplus does not flow out of the plant. (Parveen Kumar/HT PHOTO)

They said the decision was long-pending and directions were issued to begin work on the drains in the coming week.

Local environmentalists alleged that leachate from the Bandhwari landfill is overflowing into the water bodies of the Aravalli forests, polluting these and posing a serious threat to flora and fauna there.

In the past, the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) has collected samples of leachate from the Bandhwari landfill several times and it was found that the samples contained chemicals in excess of the permissible limits as well as toxic substances.

MCG additional commissioner, Balpreet Singh, recently inspected the waste management plant and gave directions to the team to ensure that no leachate should overflow or else strict action will be taken against agencies working at the site.

“The legacy leachate at Bandhwari will be transported to both the sewage treatment plants (STPs) where two-disc tubes and reverse osmosis (DTRO) will be installed. Concrete arrangements have been made to ensure that leachate does not leak into the surroundings,” Singh said.

DTRO is a membrane system designed to ensure molecular and ionic separation for a whole spectrum of pollutants in all environments. DT membranes can separate everything from suspended matter to smallest ions, including colloids, bacteria, viruses, organic matter and totally dissolved solids.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) earlier this month, had directed the MCG to take necessary steps to prevent percolation of leachate from the Bandhwari site to the Aravallis. The tribunal also instructed HSPCB and MCG to submit an updated report on the action taken to tackle the issue. The green watchdog also told HSPCB and MCG to file a fresh action-taken report at least three days before the next hearing, scheduled for May 17.

Vaishali Rana, a city-based environmental activist, said the situation gets worse during monsoons when a black stream of leachate starts flowing through the dry stormwater channels from the Bandhwari waste dump towards the Bandhwari village. “The toxic fluid reaches the village boundaries. The leachate was tested earlier and found to be toxic. There is a need for action against those who failed to check the toxic water from flowing into the hills and aquifers. There has to be a permanent solution to this serious problem,” she said.

Rana said MCG will have to ensure that the drains are not built on areas adjacent to the Aravallis by encroaching onto forest land, as that will be a violation of the Supreme Court mandated Aravallis 1992 notification. “We have already shown in court that the MCG and their vendors are occupying more space than what was allotted to them in the Aravalli Forest. So, where will they build the drain now?” she questioned.