Gurgaon civic body to import bacteria for cleaning landfill site

The Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon has introduced imported microbial culture at the Bandhwari waste dump

The Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) has introduced imported microbial culture at the Bandhwari waste dump to treat the leachate flowing into the Aravalli forest area from the defunct plant. Experts hired by MCG to clean up the waste dump claimed that 65 per cent of the leachate has been treated, and that the remaining waste will be treated in next 15 days.

The waste plant is located along the Gurgaon-Faridabad road near the Asola Sanctuary, considered to be an ecologically significant spot. (HTFile)

Microbial cultures are biological additives that provide controlled decomposition and dramatically reduce leachate volume and disinfects pathogens. It produces high temperature to repel pests, increased land fill capacity and helps in reducing odour.

To prove that the leachate has been brought to safe level, the MCG is now planning to introduce crop fish, which removes pollution in the cleaned water. Raaginii Jaain, an expert on dump site management, who is working as a consultant with MCG said that GEA (An imported microbe culture) was introduced to process the leachate in a safe and eco-friendly manner. “We have brought the water to a safe alkalinity level of ph 6.5 and have also asked the pollution department to check its quality”, Jaain.

The team of experts engaged by MCG admitted that prior to treatment the situation was really bad as leachate was spread on 5 acres at the Bandhwari waste dump. The team was formed by MCG after directions came from National Green Tribunal to ensure the removal of leachate as it was polluting water in the Aravallis. The plant is located along the Gurgaon-Faridabad road near Asola Sanctuary, considered to be ecologically significant.

Mud is now being used to cover the land where leachate has dried up, and another microbe culture GEB has been sprayed at the garbage dump to reduce smell and flies, which also causes lot of problems to residents of nearby villages. “Once the pollution department report comes, we will introduce crop fish which also cleans up water and is eco-friendly”, said Jaain.

To treat the large dump of untreated garbage piled at the Bandhwari waste dump, the team has created long windows, and sprayed microbes that led to bio-remediation at 52 degrees Celsius. The waste will now be screened by the corporation employees.

Jaain however discounted the possibility a power being produced from the waste at Bandhwari as claimed by the state government. “Energy can be produced only from 100 per cent segregated waste but this has not happened here”, she said.

The corporation meanwhile has installed CCTV cameras at the plant that will be functional from Monday.