There's a question mark yet again on the solution to Pirana. Recently, the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) had written a letter to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), asking it to find some alternative for the dumpsite other than capping.

COMMERCIAL BREAK
SCROLL TO CONTINUE READING

The civic body had given a project to prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR) to Tata Consultancy Services for capping off one of the garbage hills of Pirana. Earlier, the task of preparing DPR was given to IL&FS. After receiving a letter from the MoEF, the civic body is in a dilemma over what to do with Pirana, which is already a headache for them.

"We have received a letter from the MoEF asking to find some solution other than capping. Recently, the standing committee had approved to give a project of preparing DPR to a private company for the capping," said a senior AMC official.

According to the director of Solid Waste Management, Harshad Solanki, there are three garbage hills at Pirana landfill site. One of them is Ajmeri hill, the oldest one, which the AMC has not been using since 1990. Bio-mining of that site is not possible, he said. Whatever garbage is pending there can be used for resurfacing the land or can be mixed with organic fertilizer. But after receiving a letter from the MoEF, there is a problem again.

On the other hand, for bio mining, the civic body has floated tenders again for the same. But there's also trouble as two companies have already been given a contract to use the legacy waste as well as the daily solid waste to generate electricity.

There is yet another big question on the project of electricity generation. "After the drive of segregated waste collection, around 20-25% of the dry waste has been recycled while the remaining is wet waste. Generation of electricity needs dry waste which can be used for combustion; wet waste can't be used for that purpose," said an official, on condition of anonymity.

"We are skeptical about the bio-mining project also and we fear that someone may approach the high court against this decision," added the official.

Ban on single-use plastic yet to begin

The civic body is also in a dilemma regarding the ban on single-use plastic. Quite a few wrappers and covers for things such as packing of bread are of single-use plastic. Meetings with plastic manufacturers and hotel associations are going on, regarding a ban on plastic cups, forks and spoons.