The Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) is preparing to extend the deadline for a major project aimed at clearing the massive legacy waste dump at the Pachanady landfill site. The cleanup, which involves a technique called biomining, is crucial for the city and surrounding areas still grappling with the aftermath of a tragic garbage slide in 2019.
The Scale of the Pachanady Waste Crisis
According to a 2019 estimate by the MCC, a staggering more than 9 lakh tonnes of legacy waste had accumulated over a stretch of nearly 2 kilometers at Pachanady. This enormous dump led to a disaster in August 2019 when a portion of the garbage slid, destroying properties, agricultural land, and 27 houses in the vicinity.
Following the tragedy, the city corporation relocated the affected families. The Karnataka High Court also intervened, pulling up the MCC for its failure to clear the hazardous legacy waste. In response, a contract worth an estimated Rs 56 crore was awarded in December 2022 to the National Federation of Farmers' Procurement, Processing and Retailing Cooperatives of India Ltd (NACOF) to clear the waste through biomining.
Progress, Delays, and the Reason for Extension
MCC administrator and Deputy Commissioner Darshan HV stated that while the biomining work continues, it faced initial delays. He confirmed that issues related to payments to the agency, electricity, and other facilities have now been resolved.
However, a significant volume of waste remains. About 6.5 lakh tonnes of legacy waste are yet to be cleared from the site. The agency was originally given 18 months to complete the task. DC Darshan explained that the upcoming monsoon season is a major factor in the expected extension. "Since the work cannot be taken up for six months due to rains, the contract period will be extended," he said.
Broader Waste Management Challenges
The Pachanady site is not just handling Mangaluru's past waste. The landfill is also receiving current waste from five adjoining gram panchayats. Furthermore, the zilla panchayat and local MLAs have requested the MCC to manage waste from additional gram panchayats that lack their own solid waste management capacity.
Defending this decision, Deputy Commissioner Darshan HV emphasized a collective responsibility for cleanliness. "The city corporation accepts waste from gram panchayats as the ultimate aim is to keep the district clean," he added, indicating that the MCC's role in regional waste management is expanding even as it tackles its own historical backlog.
The situation highlights the ongoing challenges of urban and peri-urban waste management in India, where legacy dumps pose environmental and safety risks, and local bodies often become the default processors for surrounding regions.
