New Agreement To Clear Aadampur Legacy Waste; Bhopal Municipal Corporation Sets March 31 Deadline
· Free Press Journal
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) has entered into a new agreement for clearing the old garbage accumulated at the Aadampur landfill, with the private agency now taking responsibility for processing the legacy waste and handling fire incidents at the site. Work has resumed after the rainy season, and only nine acres of the 45-acre legacy-waste area have been cleared so far.
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Under the new arrangement, the private agency has been given a target to clear the entire legacy-waste site by March 31.
The BMC has withdrawn its workers from operational activities and will only monitor the work. The project, estimated to cost Rs 55 crore, aims to remove around 6.5 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste.
4 lakh metric tonnes still remain
According to the BMC, around 4 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste remain at Aadampur. The civic body is relying on the new arrangement to complete the clean-up within the deadline, after two earlier agencies failed to complete the work as scheduled. The waste has accumulated over nearly eight years following the closure of the Bhanpur landfill, with garbage from across Bhopal being diverted to Aadampur.
Waste mountains spread across 45 acres
The legacy waste is spread over 45 acres at the landfill. The BMC says garbage is transported to Aadampur from 14 transfer stations across the city, although it disputes reports that 900-1,000 metric tonnes of waste reaches the site every day. The accumulated waste has repeatedly caught fire, particularly between April and June, with smoke spreading towards nearby rural areas. Concerns have also been raised about possible groundwater contamination. Repeated fire incidents eventually led to the matter reaching the Supreme Court.
Two earlier agencies failed
The BMC had earlier awarded the clearance work to Green Resource, followed by Indore-based Susajjha. However, neither agency could complete the work within the stipulated period. Following the continued accumulation of waste and recurring fires, the civic body prepared an Rs 55-crore proposal for comprehensive clearance. The proposal initially faced opposition in the Mayor-in-Council and General Council before being referred to the state government.
Three machines deployed for processing
Saurashtra Company resumed work on Sept 18 and has deployed three machines. Two have a processing capacity of 250 tonnes per hour each, while the third can process 300 tonnes per hour. The machines operate in eight-hour shifts, with around 55 workers deployed. Refuse-derived fuel (RDF) generated during processing is being sent to cement plants, with 10-12 trucks transporting RDF daily.
Rs 21 crore for managing fresh waste
Separate from the legacy-waste clearance, the BMC is spending around Rs 21 crore on managing fresh waste arriving at Aadampur. Machinery has been installed through two tenders, and an Indore-based company has received the initial six-month contract. However, operations have frequently been disrupted due to delays in payment.
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