Finding leachate, filth and unprocessed waste at the Dadumajra dumping ground in July this year, the Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee (CPCC) mentioned “mismanagement” in its affidavit attached in the status report sent to the National Green Tribunal (NGT).The CPCC had written to the Commissioner this July about the mismanagement of leachate generated at landfill site.As per the directions of the NGT, the leachate treatment plant should be properly maintained. “There should be no stagnation of leachate within the premises on account of effluents by passing the leachate treatment plant,” one of the directions says.However, CPCC said that as per the recent inspections done by the officials of CPCC on July 18 and July 25, discrepancies were found at the site.The inspecting team found that there was stagnation of leachate in and around the wet waste processing plant of 300 TPD capacity and that leachate was oozing out from the boundary wall of the landfill site on the road going towards Togan village, Punjab. Also, a channel of leachate has been formed alongside the wall of the landfill site.The team also found that the entire area was very filthy and unprocessed waste was lying behind the mixed waste processing plant.In the communique attached with the affidavit it was said, “The site where 26 KLD LTP has been installed is not accessible for inspection and sample collection”.Story continues below this ad“There is no provision for diversion of storm water as the surface run off on getting in contact with the solid waste has led to leachate generation which was flowing in the channel constructed alongside the Dadumajra Colony and leading to filthy conditions at the tail end of the dumpsite. This may further pollute choe flowing nearby,” the CPCC team stated.The Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh is the implementing authority for solid waste management in the city.“Strict instructions may be given to all concerned officers to take immediate necessary steps to manage the entire leachate generating from the landfill site without any further delay failing which action as per applicable regulations will be initiated,” IFS Saurabh Kumar, who is the member secretary, CPCC, said.The CPCC stated that the civic body had taken action over the points it pointed out.Story continues below this adIn its reply to the CPCC, the MC’s Executive Engineer concerned had said that “the wet waste plant is located inside the premises of the dumping ground where waste is being treated /processed on a daily basis. The leachate generated from wet waste is collected in a drain constructed around the plant which further divert leachate to the collection tank and the entire leachate is treated in a 100 KLD Leachate Treatment Plant at site. The inspection team of the CPCC pointed out the stagnation of leachate around the plant, however, it was the rain water which accumulated in depressed portions along the plant”.“The accumulated rain water/run-off water is collected from the depressed portion by deploying suction tankers, which work continuously round the clock. A portion between wet plant and area along the boundary wall of the dumping ground led to saturation of available unpaved area. To counter the issue of the water run-off, channels suction tankers are deployed round-the-clock,” the reply added.Mostly the area of dumping ground is unpaved and in rainy seasons, hindrance in processing of waste, movement of vehicles occur, due to which an access area is chosen to stock the waste of processing, the civic body said.The 26-KLD LTP installed is best suitable to treat the generated leachate of SLF. “Due to the high-intensity of rain nowadays, a path made using stone aggregates is covered with soil. which made it slippery and non-accessible. Further, maintenance of the path is done and the LTP is now accessible,” the MC said.Story continues below this adThe civic body stated that the dumping area is spread over 45 acres of land and due to sudden and high intensity rainfall, a huge volume flows towards low-lying areas of the dumping ground.“To cater to the problem of the flowing of the rainwater outside the dumping area, suction tanker are deployed round the clock. A RCC drain is under construction along the boundary wall of the dumping ground followed by 250 KLD LTP at the tail end to treat the run-off. The outflow of leachate/ rainwater from the dumping ground will be completely resolved once the construction of drain work is completed and after the construction of 250 KLD LTP at tail end of RCC drain,” the Executive Engineer replied.