Dumpyard pollutes groundwater in Kozhikode

KOZHIKODE: In spite of installing a liquid treatment plant at Njeliyamparamba, the only dump yard of the city corporation, some 18 months back, the contamination of water in the neighbourhoods continues.  It treats only 30 per cent of the leachate generated from the waste, as per the official record, and the experts say it causes significant threat to surface water and groundwater. "As per the Delhi based company that installed the liquid treatment plant, nearly 70,000- 75,000 litres of wastewater can be filtered and treated," said Mullabeettil Moideen, Kolathara councilor. 

"But due to the laxity on their side, it treats only 10,000 litres or below. Hence a major portion of the wastewater flows out, which may be the reason why the water in these areas remains contaminated." The company is yet to give the corporation the certificate of work completion and the technical assistance for its proper functioning.  "Many times, the technologically advanced machine stopped functioning due to a shortage of hands to operate," he said. 

Santha Sunil, a resident here for the past 20 years, said they could not use the water from the well until recently, though for non-cooking purposes.  "The condition will go worse in the rainy season when a huge quantity of wastewater flows out from the plant along with the rainwater," she said. At the same time, the solid waste treatment plant here has been functioning properly since its inception.  "On an average, it produces 20 tonnes of manure on a regular basis from the 70-75 tonnes of waste," said Dhanesh P., the plant manager.  "We are a private agency, and all the functioning of the plant is going smoothly for last five years."