For future plans, BMC to conduct environmental analysis of Mulund dumping ground

Sprawled over a total area of 24 hectares, Mulund dumping ground was among the second largest waste disposal sites of Mumbai. However, its operation ceased in December 2018 when the site stopped receiving the municipal waste and the BMC launched works to recover the land by processing the existing heaps of waste through the process of bio-mining.

At present, the civic body has cleared over 70 lakh metric tonnes of waste accounting for 70 percent of the total legacy waste at the erstwhile dumpsite. Meanwhile, over 21 lakh tonnes of waste are yet to be bio-mined with the civic body targeting to completely clear the site over the next one year.

In a bid to determine the developmental plans for the new parcel of open land, the BMC is set to conduct an environmental analysis of the cleared lot of land. The assessment will entail collection and analysis of four separate samples of the soil, alongside two samples of the ground water, air quality parameters as well as a sample of the gas emissions.

The soil contamination analysis will study 39 parameters including moisture, organic matter, ash, porosity, texture as well as components like sulphate, nitrate, calcium, nickel etc. Besides, this ground water analysis delves into 48 parameters ranging from turbidity, colour, odour, pH to lead, zinc and aluminium levels. Meanwhile, air quality monitoring will look at PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NO2 etc among a total of 15 parameters while the gas emissions at the site will entail an analysis of methane, benzane, VOC and H2S.

Pegged at a cost of Rs 3 lakh, the analysis will be conducted over a period of one month through an external agency. Besides the analysis, the agency will also be tasked with provision of essential manpower and machinery for transport and field activities.

The tender to rope in the consultant was floated earlier this month, with senior officials stating that the final work orders will be issued in a week’s period.

Speaking to The Indian Express, a senior BMC official said that the study seeks to prepare a roadmap for the future plans of development over the cleared land.

“The idea for carrying out the assessment is to understand the status of the cleared land. The report will look into the characteristics of the ground by analysing the soil, ground water, air and it will give us an idea about what kind of development works can be done or avoided on the land. The report will be prepared by an agency with expertise in the technical subject and it will be submitted within a month from the study,” said an official.