Untreated waste from Kanjur dump harmful: Pollution board

The state pollution control board has found out that chemical contents of untreated leachate discharged in the Thane creek water adjacent to the landfill site inside Kanjurmarg dumping ground is toxic, above permissible limit and harmful for groundwater. Nikhil M Ghanekar reports.

The state pollution control board has found out that chemical contents of untreated leachate discharged in the Thane creek water adjacent to the landfill site inside Kanjurmarg dumping ground is toxic, above permissible limit and harmful for groundwater.

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The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) stated this in the prosecution notice sent to the civic body and the landfill’s operator - M/s Antony Lara Enviro Solutions Pvt.Ltd on Monday.

In the notice, MPCB asked the civic body to submit a concrete proposal through the operator of the facility for proper segregation of municipal solid waste, its collection, proper transportation, operation and maintenance of the site to prevent any nuisance and pollution in the surrounding area.

Jose Jacob, the spokesperson for the operator said, “We will reply to the notice in detail when we receive it. We don’t want to comment till then.”

MPCB evaluated results from four inspections which have been conducted since October last year.

The analysis report of untreated leachate samples showed that parameters of suspended solids, total ammoniacal nitrogen, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD - dissolved oxygen) and chemical oxygen demand (COD), mercury and chlorides exceeded the permissible limit set by MPCB. BOD and COD are basic indicators of water quality.

The notice adds, that the technology used at the site – Bioreactor landfill technology - was not approved in the environmental clearance granted to the project.

This was pointed to the MPCB in a complaint by the non-government organisation Vanashakti. On January 7, HT had reported how the technology used at the site was not the one approved in the environmental clearance.'