Siliguri: The Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) has taken steps towards resolving one of the city’s most pressing civic issues — the many decade-old dumping ground located at the Siliguri Eastern Bypass area in Siliguri.
Following the successful completion of the first phase of biomining, the second phase of the legacy waste management project is scheduled to commence on July 15.
The State Urban Development Agency (SUDA) will oversee the project, which will be carried out by a private waste management organisation based in Delhi.
Mayor Gautam Deb, who recently chaired a review meeting at the SMC office, expressed the administration’s strong commitment to the project.
“We have big plans for the dumping ground. The garbage that has accumulated over many years is being processed in phases and made reusable. In the first phase, we have already cleared about five acres of land. In the second phase, the work will intensify, and we are aiming to complete it as soon as possible,” said Mayor Deb.
The dumping ground has been a long-standing source of concern for local residents, who have frequently protested, demanding that the site be relocated due to its adverse environmental and health impacts. However, since relocating the site is not feasible, the SMC has opted for scientific processing of the waste through biomining and other eco-friendly methods.
It is estimated that approximately 11.50 lakh metric tons of legacy waste will be processed in the second phase. The processing cost has been set at Rs 410 per metric ton.
While the waste management company has proposed a 30-month timeline to complete the project, Mayor Deb has insisted that the work must be completed within 18 months.
On an average, about 350 metric tons of garbage accumulates everyday presently at the ground. It increases to 450 metric tons during winter due to vegetable residue.