LG discusses ways to improve landfill sites with officials

NEW DELHI: Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on Thursday suggested the 'greening' of Delhi's three major landfills, once their slopes are graded in an engineered manner.

The stakeholders decided here at Raj Niwas at a meeting that the work at Ghazipur, Bhalswa and Okhla landfills will be done under the guidance of experts, to take care of any contingencies and long-term effects.

The meeting was attended by officials of the Delhi government, including the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary (Urban Development), Principal Secretary (PWD), Secretary (Environment and Forest), Special Secretary (Power), Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Urban Development Minister Satyendar Jain.

All three municipal commissioners, General Manager of National Highways Authority of India and CEO of Delhi Jal Board were also present.

Presentations were made by Professor Manoj Datta of the department of Civil Engineering, IIT Delhi, along with other experts from Mumbai and Hyderabad dealing with similar issues. The main causes of instability of landfill sites such as rain, earthquake, leachate, gas and steep slopes were discussed. Case studies of Gorai, Vapi and Hyderabad were also demonstrated.

Regarding the current flow of daily waste being generated in the city, the LG reiterated on full utilisation of existing capacity and addition in the installed capacity of the waste-to-energy plants at Ghazipur, Okhla and Narela-Bawana.

Issues of emissions control and the need for elimination of fires in the landfills were also deliberated upon.

The LG was apprised that a five-layer impervious cover/cap could be provided, besides removal of leachate and gas through drains and wells. Fires can be eliminated by collecting and flaring inflammable methane.

Regarding aesthetics of landfill sites, it was apprised that slopes can be regraded and green vegetative growth could be engineered. Normal timeframes to implement such measures, which are also quite expensive, range from nine to 18 months.

Solutions applicable to all the three garbage mounds were discussed on a case-by-case basis. With respect to the Ghazipur mound, it was apprised that NHAI shall undertake segregation and utilisation of garbage from mid-November, for utilisation in its road project.

The CEO of DJB informed the LG about possible solutions for more efficient forms of disposal of silt, such as by stocking it in geo-tubes and de-watering the same along the banks of the existing major drains.

Baijal directed the CEO to undertake consultations with National Environmental Engineering Research Institute and other experts on this front and come up with firm proposals.

In another meeting on the law and order situation, Baijal emphasised upon the need for increased professionalism within the police force.

He stressed upon the need to improve soft skills, as well as skills for better stress and time management.

Noting that technology across various verticals like intelligence, investigation, forensics, cyber would play an important role, the LG directed Delhi Police to establish structured linkages with institutions like IIIT-Delhi and Indira Gandhi Technical University for Women for their constant inputs and guidance.