Coming soon: BMC to use drones to monitor Deonar dumpyard

In a bid to curb the frequent fires at the Deonar dumping ground, the civic body plans to use drones to monitor the 132-hectare landfill.

In a bid to curb the frequent fires at the Deonar dumping ground, the civic body plans to use drones to monitor the 132-hectare landfill.

In January, the civic body had used drones at the dumping ground, but they had to be brought down because the BMC had not taken permission from the police as well as the airport authority to fly them. (Photo by Prashant Waydande / Hindustan Times)

The action plan submitted before a two-member Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) committee also said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) plans to contour map the entire site for slope stabilisation of the garbage.

Recently, the committee comprising E Thirunavukkarasu, a scientist from MoEF, and Prasoon Gargava, another scientist from the Central Pollution Control Board, had visited the dumping ground to take stock of the situation.

The committee has asked civic body to start closing the landfill and submit a report on fires at Deonar in the next week.

Speaking to HT, municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta said, “We are checking on the permissions and technology required to fly the drones over the dumping ground. This will help monitor inaccessible locations.”

He said, “Contour mapping is part of our long-term planning and strategy to reduce garbage dumping and close the dumping ground. Mapping will give us the precise height of the heap of garbage across the dump yard.”

In January, the civic body had used drones at the dumping ground, but they had to be brought down because the BMC had not taken permission from the police as well as the airport authority to fly them.