Rs 361 cr Achan solid waste project to be completed in 1.5 years: CM

Excelsior Correspondent

Srinagar, Sept 28: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said the Rs 361 crore Integrated Solid Waste Management Project at Achan in Srinagar, designed to process 800 tonnes of waste daily and address the site's massive legacy waste problem, will be completed within one-and-a-half years, with bids scheduled to open on October 1.

The Chief Minister was responding to a supplementary question by MLA Mubarik Gul on the 800-tonne-per-day Integrated Solid Waste Management Project at Achan and measures being taken to address the legacy waste at the dumping site.

"I know that all the eight MLAs who are from Srinagar city are concerned about this issue, especially the issue of legacy waste at Achan and its impact not only on Achan and its surrounding areas but almost the entire city," he said.

Omar said the Government had approved a comprehensive project specifically for Achan and solid waste management in Srinagar at an estimated cost of approximately Rs 360 crore.

The Chief Minister said the project was currently in the tendering stage and that the last date for opening bids is October 1.

Responding to concerns about the participation of blacklisted contractors, Omar assured Gul that such firms would be excluded from the project.

In a written reply to Mubarak Gull's question, the Government said the project has an estimated processing capacity of 800 tonnes per day and comprises composting facilities, a bio-CBG plant, material recovery facilities, a refuse-derived fuel (RDF) facility, a scientific sanitary landfill, transfer stations, leachate management infrastructure and ancillary environmental infrastructure.

According to the Government, the Srinagar Municipal Corporation is currently managing approximately 500-550 tonnes of municipal solid waste generated within the municipal limits each day through an integrated system of collection, transportation, processing and disposal.

The Government said more than 380 waste collection and transportation vehicles, including compactors, tippers and dumper placers and other sanitation vehicles, have been deployed. More than 2,700 sanitation workers are engaged in collection, transportation and sanitation services. It said waste processing infrastructure and environmental management systems at Achan were also being strengthened.

The Government said the SMC has established a 100-tonne-per-day Material Recovery Facility at Achan for segregation and recovery of recyclable waste, including plastics, paper, cardboard, metals and other recyclable materials. The operation and maintenance of the facility has been outsourced to a specialised agency for scientific processing, recovery and channelisation of recyclable material to authorised recyclers and end users.

The Government said the facility would help reduce the quantity of waste reaching the landfill, enhance recycling and resource recovery, reduce environmental pollution and promote a circular economy. "An 85-tonne-per-day wet waste processing plant has also been established at Achan for scientific processing of segregated wet and biodegradable municipal waste. The facility is aimed at reducing environmental pollution and foul odour and promoting sustainable and circular waste management practices," the government said.

On legacy waste at Achan, the Government said the SMC had initiated large-scale biomining and bioremediation to address environmental challenges caused by historical waste accumulation. Work for biomining and bioremediation of approximately 11 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste has been awarded to a specialised agency. "Windrow formation and associated civil works are presently under progress," the government said.

The Government said the project was expected to substantially reduce environmental liabilities, reclaim valuable land and improve environmental conditions in and around the Achan site

The Government also said a 125-tonne-per-day Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste Management Facility was being established at Achan under SBM-U 2.0 for scientific management and disposal of construction and demolition waste generated in Srinagar. The work has been awarded to a contractor and civil works have been completed. "The facility, once commissioned, will enable scientific processing of C&D waste, recovery and reuse of construction materials, reduction in illegal dumping and conservation of natural resources through recovery and reuse," it said.