By Lamphrang Nongspung
SHILLONG, May 23: Marten dumping ground is bursting at the seams unable to cope with the overload of daily arrival of fresh wastes, exacerbated by scanty incineration.
The increasing stench in the air surrounding the area is a testimony to the piling problem at hand. Tourists and motorists using the highway are greeted these days by the nauseating stench that fills the air.
Opened in 1983, Marten now awaits commissioning of a bio-mining plant which can potentially be a game changer.
This reporter visited Marten on Thursday to take a closer look at the issues at stake. The foul smell emanating from Marten dumping ground could be from the compost plant.
The staff of the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) station at Marten attributed the foul smell to the compost plant where they are recycling the bio-degradable waste.
According to the staff, the foul smell emanates at the time when they flip the biodegradable waste every four to five days.
“The smell would be there for a few days. This whole process to dry up the bio-degradable waste will take around 30 days,” the staff informed.
It may be mentioned that on an average around 140 tonnes are being dumped at the dumping ground daily.
The Marten dumping ground is now overflowing, making it difficult for the SMB to handle the waste.
The SMB presently is limited to processing the waste since it cannot just dispose of the waste like what they were doing in the past.
The board is now left in a very difficult situation since Marten dumping ground can survive for a few more years only if there is a segregation of waste from the source. But this is not happening at the moment.
Many of the localities outside the municipal areas are not cooperating despite several communications from the side of the SMB to alert them that separating waste at the source is not being done.
Even if the SMB issued order to separate waste from the source was in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, majority of the localities are not complying.
It may be mentioned that waste segregation bins were even provided to the different regions through ADB assistance.
It has been informed that the only option left for the SMB is to fine the offenders if people are not ready to cooperate in accordance with the rules.
Meanwhile, sources revealed that the SMB is planning to make the bio-mining project at Marten operationalised by next week. According to sources, the machines for the purpose have already been set up and now they are waiting for the MeECL for the power connection.
The initiative will address the source of distress for locals due to the foul smell emanating from Marten dumping ground.
The agency responsible for the project’s execution of this bio-mining plant is the Guwahati based firm M/s Call And Fix.
Through the bio-mining plant they are expected to segregate around 1.50 lakh tonnes of the legacy waste which are 15 to 20 years old. The SMB will be able to reclaim some portion of the landfill site.
This project at Marten is similar to the waste segregation machine at Rongkhon Songgital in Tura, West Garo Hills which Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma had just inspected.
Upon installation of the machine, loaders and excavators will be utilized to excavate the waste from the landfill site. The waste will be separated into three categories: organic/soiled fraction, combustible, and inert waste.
Further, sources informed that the government has identified a new landfill site at Nonghali near Diengpasoh in East Khasi Hills.
Informing that the government is planning to acquire around 200 acres, sources said that a public hearing will be held for the government to acquire this land.
The present landfill site at Marten has surpassed its life span and it may sustain for another two years more.