Dealing with dumps

Biomining has emerged as an effective method to reclaim open dumpsites

- NIRMAL JOVIAL

THE 12-ACRE Karikulam dumping yard is 12ft deep in unsegregated waste, the total volume of which comes to 1.1 lakh cubic metres. The 40-year-old dumpsite is a blot on the temple town of Kumbakonam. To prevent further contamination of the groundwater, the Kumbakonam Municipality looked at multiple options for a permanent solution. The initial suggestion was to do bio-capping, which involves placing a cover over the waste.

However, the authorities soon identified three disadvantages: it would make the retrieval of the land impossible, it would not reduce the odour and the leachate would continue to pollute groundwater. This made them go for an innovative method called biomining in 2015. In just three years, the municipality successfully retrieved all 12 acres and became the first civic body in India to retrieve a legacy dumpsite.