NEW DELHI: The height of the saturated Okhla landfill site was brought down from 58 metre to 38 metres and one side of the dressed up junkyard is fully greened, claimed the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC).“We have worked hard and tried to fast execute the landfill remediation project as per specification is given by IIT-Delhi. The stabilization plan was a challenge as it included constructing a 16m sloped road around the landfill. Each slope was to be built at 22 degrees for avoiding the occurrence of a Ghazipur-like collapse,” said Additional Commissioner, SDMC, Ramesh Verma.
According to the civic body, the work of converting Okhla landfill to a lush green site began about 10 months ago with 58 workers. A soil cover was ‘papered’ over the stabilized slope and green look given by planting grass and displaying plants installed in drums.
“The standard ‘doob’ grass was used to cover the slopes. More than 70 per cent of the resurfacing and slope stabilization is over, while grass planted in about 7,000 sq m. The heatwave during last few weeks was a challenge (for work). Work is expected to restart with the onset of rains,” Verma said.
A leachate treatment plant is already commissioned by the South civic body for overcoming the problem of seepage-like situation to stop toxic water from damaging the already completed portions. To expedite slope stabilization, four heavy-duty bulldozers and five excavators were procured for remediation work at the Okhla landfill site.