Arvind Kumar inspects dumping yard

Jawaharnagar: Municipal Administration & Urban Development Principal Secretary Arvind Kumar on Tuesday visited the dumping yard at Jawaharnagar and took stock of the measures initiated by the concessionaire to control foul smell in the vicinity. He said while there was reduced stink due to the regular capping works, the piling up of garbage and the delay in its processing was causing more concern. He asked the officials concerned to firm up a date for commissioning of the waste to energy plant.

Arvind Kumar directed the concessionaires to cover the live garbage with tarpaulin sheets at least till the end of rainy season to bring down the stink immediately. He also advised the concessionaires to build vertical walls and roof on top where live garbage is kept. He asked the GHMC Commissioner to look into the slaughter house issue at Chengicherla. He also asked the officials to identify alternate sites for processing and disposal as the Jawaharnagar dumping yard was the single processing and disposal facility for the entire city.

The concessionaires Ramky Enviro Engineers Limited explained about the conditions leading to increased odour through a power-point presentation. They said an unexpected heavy rainfall, low temperature, relatively higher elevation of the dump yard, unsegregated waste with high water content, higher volumes of waste receipts, including slaughter house waste were some of the reasons for the increased odour. The measures being taken to address the issue include short-term, medium term and long term measures. In the short term, aggressive spraying of masking agents and soil cover over partially filled landfill cells are being taken.

Medium term measures include expediting waste to energy plants, construction of sheds for composting areas and enhanced odour monitoring protocol. The long term measures include developing alternate processing and disposal sites in other locations.

The meeting was attended by GHMC Commissioner Lokesh Kumar, Ramky group chairman Ayodhyarami Reddy, Managing Director and CEO Gautam Reddy, EPTRI Director General Kalyan Chakravarthi and other senior officials.