VISAKHAPATNAM: The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), which has already commenced biomining on 25 acres at its Kapuluppada dumping yard, is planning to extend the move to another 33 acres. The GVMC will utilise funds under the 15th Finance Commission for the initiative.
Bioremediation of four lakh metric tonnes of waste accumulated on these 33 acres is expected to cost the civic body’s exchequer about Rs 36 crore. The GVMC will issue tenders next week. After completion of bioremediation at the yard, the GVMC plans to convert 14 acres into a green lung space/park.
The civic body took up biomining on the 25-acre land about two years ago to extract nearly 2.5 lakh metric tonnes of waste and to convert it into compost and other useful products. According to GVMC officials, about 70% of the works have been completed as of date. The corporation is spending Rs 21 crore on this project.
Spread on an extent of 100 acres, the Kapuluppada dumping yard has been receiving garbage from all quarters of the city for the last two decades. The waste dumped so far has filled more than half of its total area.
According to the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, local authorities should investigate and analyse all old open and existing operational dumpsites for their potential of biomining and bioremediation. If there is no scope for biomining, the dumpsite shall be scientifically capped as per landfill capping norms to prevent further damage to the environment.
The corporation recently conducted a trial run of its 15 MW waste-to-energy plant that is under construction at the Kapuluppada dumping yard. The plant is expected to come into operation over the next few months.
Once the plant is operationalised, the civic body has to supply about 900 metric tonnes of garbage a day to the plant. As the city is currently generating about 1,100 metric tonnes of waste a day, the energy plant is expected to greatly reduce burden on the landfill.
