Development body identifies three sites for dumping waste……..Zeeshan Shaikh
In a bid to tackle the garbage output in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) which as per a report by The National Environmental Engineering Institute is expected to increase twofold in the coming 25 years, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has identified three regional landfill sites at Taloja, Ambernath and Shil Phata.
The report states that with exponential growth in the population residing in the MMR, the garbage output will almost double from 11,021 tonnes per day (TPD) to 19,508 TPD in the next 25 years. Dilip Kawathkar, joint project director, MMRDA, said, We are planning to provide three regional landfill sites in which corporations and councils from across the MMR can dump their garbage.
The National Environmental Engineering Institute, in its report on solid waste management in the region, has identified Thane, Navi Mumbai, Kalyan-Dombivali, Mira-Bhayandar and Vasai-Virar as the areas that will drive the garbage growth in the region.
The population of Vasai-Virar is expected to increase fourfold from 8.5 lakh to 24 lakh, thereby increasing the garbage output from 266 TPD to 833 TPD by 2035. In case of Navi Mumbai, the population is expected to rise from 11.4 lakh to 27.2 lakh thus, increasing garbage output from 634 TPD to 1,581 TPD by 2035. The population of Mumbai too is expected to soar from 1.31 crore to 1.79 crore thus pushing its garbage output from 7,532 TPD to 10,835 TPD.
Alarmed at this garbage growth, the MMRDA has identified three sites at namely Taloja (443 hectares), Shil Phata (259 hectares) and Ambernath (1,225 hectares) as the regional landfill sites. Of the three, MMRDA plans to start work on Taloja project by the end of this year. MMRDA officials claim that the three regional landfill sites will have a capacity of handling 15,000 TPD each. Our sites will handle 10,000 TPD which will ensure that garbage disposal in the city is carried out in a hygienic manner, Kawathkar said.
The garbage will be scientifically segregated and disposed at the proposed sites. Chemicals will be used to ensure that these sites remain odour-free. Compost, bio-fuel and solar electricity too will be generated using the waste.
MMRDA officials state that seven municipal corporations and 13 municipal councils will be allowed to use the dumping site. Though the offer to use the sites was extended to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) too, the civic body has declined stating that at present it can manage on its own but is open to use in future.