To stop leachate overflow at Bandhwari landfill, MCG steps up

MCG officials said that the civic body has already begun implementing the measures. On July 14, the ₹2-crore project for installing view cutters, constructing a boundary wall, and laying a stormwater drain was initiated. View cutters are being erected initially to block direct visibility of the landfill from the Gurugram-Faridabad Road

Gurugram: A day after Hindustan Times reported the unchecked discharge of toxic leachate from the Bandhwari landfill into the Aravalli Forest and adjoining Bandhwari village, the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) swung into action. A team of senior civic officials visited the site on Wednesday and announced a series of emergency and long-term measures to contain the environmental damage.

The untreated leachate from the Bandhwari landfill is being diverted through underground pipelines laid by the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) into the surrounding forest area posing a serious threat to both human health and wildlife. (HT PHOTO)

MCG commissioner Pradeep Dahiya said that a comprehensive plan is being drafted to manage the leachate and improve the overall waste management infrastructure. “We will try to complete all the proposed work within six months. Inside the campus, we are planning a leachate treatment plant. Until then, we will continue shifting the leachate through tankers to the nearest sewage treatment plant (STP),” Dahiya said.

MCG officials, aware of the matter, said that the civic body has already begun implementing the measures. On July 14, the ₹2-crore project for installing view cutters, constructing a boundary wall, and laying a stormwater drain was initiated. View cutters are being erected initially to block direct visibility of the landfill from the Gurugram-Faridabad Road.

In a midnight operation on July 17-18, 10 Hyva trucks, 3 poclaines, and 2 JCBs were deployed to remove leachate and solid waste that had overflowed onto the road. The waste was shifted back inside the plant, and a new internal road was created to ensure garbage truck movement stays within the compound.

Currently, two tankers are regularly ferrying leachate to the nearest STP. Given the high volume of leachate at the site, a ₹63 lakh proposal has been prepared for its transportation, with administrative approvals in progress.

As part of infrastructure improvement, a new ₹2.45-crore tender was floated on July 18, for constructing a 15-metre-wide, 400-metre-long cement concrete road along the view cutters, along with an RCC drain. The tender will open on July 28.

Meanwhile, a proposal for installing a second weighbridge is being prepared to reduce truck waiting time and streamline movement at two separate gates. A diesel generator and floodlights have also been installed to support round-the-clock work at the site.

Currently, 3 poclaines, 5 Hyvas and 2 JCBs are working at the landfill daily to expedite the clean-up and civil work.

“Teams have been directed to keep a check that no overflow or leakage on public roads should take place. We are consulting with experts also to ensure a long term solution,” Dahiya added.