Civic body starts bioremediation project at Bhagtanwala dump for fourth time

A few days before implementation of the code of conduct for the civic body polls, the municipal corporation (MC) has resumed bioremediation project to remove legacy waste at the Bhagtanwala dump. This is for the fourth time since 2017 that politicians and the MC office have launched the bioremediation project with a promise to process 20 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of garbage lying on 20 acres at the Bhagtanwala dump since the past three decades.

The solid waste management firm that installed a machine for bioremediation project on December 3 claimed that it would process 50 MT of garbage every day.

Earlier, during the tenure of Navjot Singh Sidhu as the Minister for Local Government, six machines were installed at the dump, but after processing garbage for a few days, the firm stopped work. The machines were lying defunct at the Bhagtanwala dump.

Residents of the areas nearby dump claimed that re-inauguration of the bioremediation project was just an eye wash before the elections. One machine was not enough for processing 20 lakh MT garbage, they said, while adding that it would not sustain for long as the company would stop work after the conclusion of the civic body elections.

Sandeep Sharma, vice president, Sanji Sangharsh Committee, and convener Save Amritsar said, “More than seven years have passed after the installation of machines for bioremediation, but no change has been witnessed at the dump. Despite having a power connection, MC officials operated machines with diesel. Funds were embezzled by showing use of diesel on papers. No politician or MC official is bothered about maintaining sanitation in the city. The MC staff is well trained to respond to queries of the Deputy Commissioner and or MC Commissioner, who hardly have six months tenure in the city.”

Jatinder Singh Jassa, member of the pollution control committee and a resident of Bhagtanwala said, “The solid waste management firm does not have funds to operate machine. The machine has been installed at the dump just to influence the public to vote in favour of candidates of the ruling dispensation in the state.”

Residents alleged that instead of bioremediation the solid waste management firm set garbage on fire. Last year, a major fire had erupted at the garbage dump, residents said.

The city generates around 500 MT of waste daily, but it is not collected every day. Due to delay in lifting of the garbage, heaps of waste can be seen on corners of streets, footpaths, green belts, vacant plots and makeshift dumps.

The MC hired a private firm in 2016 for door-to-door collection of garbage and bioremediation of the legacy waste. The company and the MC failed to make any changes in waste collection during the past eight years. Three governments have ruled the state, but residents witnessed no change in garbage collection and its processing in the holy city.

When contacted, MC Commissioner Gulpreet Singh Aulakh said the civic body had initiated bioremediation work with one machine. The number of machines would be increased in the coming days, he said, while adding that the MC would monitor the bioremediation process on a daily basis and eliminate heaps of garbage from the dump.

MLA Inderbir Singh Nijjar claimed that he was well aware of the issue and was regularly making efforts to find a permanent solution to eliminate legacy waste. He said, “In the next two months, we will upgrade the infrastructure to remove legacy waste from the Bhagtanwala garbage dump.”