Biomining begins at old garbage depot in Belagavi

Belagavi: The biomining work at the old garbage depot of the Belagavi City Corporation (BCC) in Khasbag has officially begun. The work was awarded to Gujarat-based National Enviro Projects Pvt. Ltd. for Rs 15.5 crore. The company is supposed to complete the project and hand over the cleaned site within 18 months.
The garbage depot is spread over 11 acres, and once the area is cleaned, there is a plan to construct a state-of-the-art sports complex. Belagavi (South) MLA Abhay Patil, mayor Mangesh Pawar, and deputy mayor Vani Vilas Joshi, along with the officials, visited the site on Saturday and inspected the work.
According to BCC sources, the garbage depot commenced operations around 1955 and closed in 2009. Around three lakh tonnes of waste lying in the area for decades need to be disposed of scientifically. The existing waste was sold for Rs 518 per tonne to the cement factories.
The work is being undertaken under the Swachh Bharat Mission of the central govt. The centre contributes 90% of the cost under the Swachh Bharat Mission, while the remaining amount is contributed by the state govt. The initiative was taken following strict instructions of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
According to Hanumant Kaladagi, technical assistant (environment) in the BCC, biomining of the waste is a tricky process and takes time. "There is a need for scientific disposal of the waste that has piled up over five decades. Since the said land is close to the Old PB Road, it is now in great demand," the officer said.
Local MLA Abhay Patil has planned a state-of-the-art sports complex on the same land, along with gardens and other recreational facilities. However, the process will start only once the biomining project is completed.