Can 14 Lakh Tonnes of Legacy Waste Be Disposed of in Six Months? A Look at Prayagraj’s Case and the Role of GeoInformatics

Can 14 Lakh Tonnes of Legacy Waste Be Disposed of in Six Months? A Look at Prayagraj’s Case and the Role of GeoInformatics

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has often expressed skepticism about the ambitious targets set by municipalities for clearing legacy waste. The disposal of 14 lakh tonnes of waste in just six months is one such goal that has raised eyebrows. (Read more: Mahakumbh 2024: NGT curious about sudden disapperance of 1400,000 tonnes of Prayagraj's legacy waste). The sheer scale of the task, combined with the logistical, technological, and environmental challenges, makes it a daunting proposition. While cities like Prayagraj have claimed success in similar endeavors, the question remains: how replicable and sustainable are these efforts? And can emerging technologies like GeoInformatics play a transformative role in tackling this crisis?

The Challenge of Legacy Waste

Legacy waste refers to the massive piles of untreated garbage that have accumulated in landfills over decades. These waste mountains are a mix of biodegradable, recyclable, and inert materials, and they pose significant environmental and health risks:

• Groundwater contamination from leachate.

• Methane emissions, contributing to climate change.

• Airborne diseases affecting nearby communities.

The Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 has brought renewed focus on clearing these waste heaps, but the NGT has repeatedly questioned whether municipalities have the resources, expertise, and planning to meet such ambitious deadlines.

Prayagraj’s Legacy Waste Disposal: A Success or an Overstated Achievement?

Prayagraj, a city in Uttar Pradesh, recently claimed to have disposed of 16 lakh tonnes of legacy waste in just 10 months, setting a precedent for other cities. The project involved bio-mining and bio-remediation techniques, with the waste being segregated into recyclable, combustible, and inert fractions. The city’s administration hailed the effort as a major success, but a closer look reveals several areas of concern.

1. The Scale of the Task: Prayagraj’s achievement is undoubtedly impressive on paper, but questions remain about the accuracy of the reported figures. Disposing of 16 lakh tonnes of waste in 10 months translates to processing over 50,000 tonnes per day—a staggering number that requires significant resources and coordination. Critics argue that such rapid disposal may have involved cutting corners, such as inadequate segregation or improper handling of hazardous materials.

2. Environmental Concerns: While the city claims to have used sustainable methods like bio-mining, there is limited transparency about the environmental impact of the project. For instance:

• Was the leachate properly treated to prevent groundwater contamination?

• Were the combustible fractions disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner, or were they simply incinerated, contributing to air pollution?

3. Long-Term Sustainability: Clearing legacy waste is only part of the solution. Without robust systems for waste segregation, recycling, and disposal, cities risk creating new waste mountains in the future. Prayagraj’s success story does not address whether the city has implemented measures to prevent the recurrence of such problems.

The Role of GeoInformatics in Legacy Waste Management

One of the most promising tools for tackling the legacy waste crisis is GeoInformatics, which involves the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing, and spatial data analysis. Here’s how GeoInformatics can play a crucial role:

1. Mapping and Monitoring Landfills: GeoInformatics can provide detailed maps of landfill sites, including their size, composition, and environmental impact. This data can help municipalities prioritize which sites to address first and allocate resources more effectively.

2. Tracking Progress: Using satellite imagery and drones, authorities can monitor the progress of waste disposal projects in real time. This ensures greater transparency and accountability, reducing the likelihood of inflated claims like those suspected in Prayagraj.

3. Identifying Environmental Risks: Remote sensing can detect leachate seepage, methane emissions, and other environmental hazards associated with legacy waste. This information can guide mitigation efforts and ensure that waste disposal is conducted in an environmentally responsible manner.

4. Optimizing Waste Transportation: GIS can be used to plan the most efficient routes for transporting waste to processing facilities, reducing fuel consumption and costs.

5. Long-Term Planning: GeoInformatics can help cities design better waste management systems by analyzing patterns of waste generation and identifying areas where interventions are needed.

Is the Six-Month Target Realistic?

Disposing of 14 lakh tonnes of legacy waste in six months is an ambitious goal, and Prayagraj’s example shows that it is theoretically possible. However, several factors make this target difficult to achieve on a larger scale:

1. Resource Constraints: Many cities lack the financial and technical resources needed to deploy advanced waste processing technologies like bio-mining and waste-to-energy plants. Without significant investment, these cities will struggle to replicate Prayagraj’s success.

2. Workforce and Machinery: Clearing such a massive volume of waste requires a well-trained workforce and specialized machinery. Mobilizing these resources in a short time frame is a logistical challenge, especially for smaller municipalities.

3. Environmental Trade-Offs: Rapid waste disposal can lead to environmental trade-offs, such as increased air pollution from incineration or groundwater contamination from poorly managed leachate. Balancing speed with sustainability is critical.

4. Lack of Transparency: As seen in Prayagraj, the lack of transparency in reporting progress raises doubts about the authenticity of such claims. Independent audits and the use of GeoInformatics for monitoring can help address this issue.

Conclusion

The disposal of 14 lakh tonnes of legacy waste in six months is a monumental challenge that requires careful planning, significant resources, and the use of advanced technologies like GeoInformatics. While Prayagraj’s success story offers hope, it also highlights the need for greater transparency and accountability in such projects.

The NGT’s skepticism is well-founded. Achieving such ambitious targets is not just about clearing waste—it’s about doing so in a way that is environmentally sustainable and prevents the recurrence of the problem. Without systemic changes in waste management practices, cities risk turning short-term successes into long-term failures. The key lies in balancing ambition with realism and ensuring that every step taken today contributes to a cleaner, healthier future.