BHUBANESWAR:The State Government has directed Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) to identify an alternate waste landfill site at the earliest on the outskirts of the city as the present location at Bhuasuni has been operating without an environmental clearance (EC) from the Ministry of Forest and Environment (MoEF) since 2009.
BMC has been operating the landfill site at Bhuasuni by obtaining an authorisation letter from the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) and it has been dumping solid waste generated from the Twin City here.
As per norms, immediately after receiving an authorisation letter from (SPCB), an organisation must apply for an EC from the MoEF. This statute has been evaded by the Corporation for over six years.
In a recently held meeting which was chaired by an Additional Chief Secretary-ranked officer, the Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Department and BMC were taken to task for this violation, sources said.
It may also be noted that the current landfill site is located around one km from the boundary of Nandankanan Zoo and barely five km from Chandaka wildlife sanctuary.
A clause in the MoEF rules for solid waste management (SWM) states that the landfill site should be away from habitation clusters, critical habitat area and water bodies.
According to an environment expert, if the BMC now approaches MoEF for an EC it will take around two years for getting an approval.
“Considering the proximity of Bhuasuni landfill site to wildlife habitats, MoEF will first seek approval of the Forest Clearance Committee before considering a clearance,” he added. This apart, dumping of waste at the landfill site has been unscientific and disorganised.
There is no liner system like high density polyethylene (HDPE) fabrication at the base and sides of the landfill to prevent migration of leachate (liquid drained out from waste) or gas to the surrounding soil. The site lacks surface drainage system to collect and remove all surface run-off liquid from the landfill.
Besides, there is no proper facility to collect and control hazardous gases like methane and carbon monoxide emanating from the landfill. It also lacks a cover system at the top of the landfill which enhances surface drainage, prevents infiltrating water and supports surface vegetation.
The BMC had inked an MoU with a Mumbai-based private firm for construction of a biomass power plant close to Bhuasuni landfill site. However, with discrepancies pertaining to the site abound, the fate of the proposed plant remains uncertain.