MCG plans drainage system around Bandhwari to stop leachate spill

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram is planning to build a drainage system around the Bandhwari landfill to prevent leachate from contaminating waterbodies and the protected Aravallis range. The decision comes after a waterbody was polluted by leachate leak from the landfill. The landfill contains over 3.6 million tonnes of legacy waste waiting to be processed. The MCG was fined INR100 crore ($13.5m) by the National Green Tribunal for failing to manage the landfill.

Gurugram: The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) is planning to construct a drainage system around the Bandhwari landfill to stop leakage of leachate into the neighbouring waterbodies and the protected Aravallis range, civic body officials said on Friday.

Gurugram, India-May 09, 2023: A water pit in forest area where leachate mix into water bodies near Bandhwari waste treatment plant at Gurugram-Faridabad road; The district wildlife department wrote to the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram(MCG), complaining spillage of leachate from the Bandhwari landfill into the water bodies (mining pits) in Aravalli forests and wildlife drinking the same leading to infection and life threat, in Gurugram, India, on Tuesday, 09 May 2023. (Photo by Parveen Kumar/Hindustan Times)(Pic to go with Leena Dhankar's story)

The decision to build the drainage system comes a week after a waterbody got polluted with leachate leak from the landfill that consists of more than 3.6 million tonnes of legacy waste waiting to be processed as per the orders of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

Officials said water in the pond used by wild animals had turned purple and became harmful for consumption after the leakage.

On Tuesday, the district wildlife department wrote to the MCG after leachate from the landfill contaminated the waterbody.

MCG joint commissioner Naresh Kumar said the order to start the drainage construction around the landfill was issued during a meeting on Tuesday evening. “Additional commissioner Jaideep Kumar headed the meeting and the engineering wing of the MCG has been given the nod to proceed with the construction,” he said.

Officials said it is not the first time that the MCG had come up with a plan to construct a drainage system at the garbage dumping site.

“Earlier in 2018, a major drainage system was constructed but it was only along the road leading to Bandhwari village to stop the leakage of leachates from the landfill. But over a period of time, the drain became dysfunctional due to lack of maintenance,” said a senior MCG official. “The leachates also contaminate underground aquifers over a period of time,” he added.

Earlier, the NGT had slapped a fine of ₹100 crore on the MCG for failing to properly manage the Bandhwari landfill and processing its legacy waste. The NGT had also formed committees in the past for inspecting leachate leak from the landfill.

Bandhwari is one of the largest landfills in north India and towers above mesquite forests and surrounds the Aravallis.