Gurgaon: The Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) collected samples from three locations at the Bandhwari landfill on Tuesday — a leachate pond, a nearby water hole, and a surrounding garland drain. Sources said that the disk tube reverse osmosis (DTRO) system, intended for leachate processing, was non-operational.
A follow-up visit is scheduled for Wednesday to collect additional water samples.
"We collected leachate samples from the Bandhwari landfill and the surrounding area. The DTRO system was not functional at the landfill, which we flagged in a previous report. It is essential for the DTRO to be operational to process leachate," said an HSPCB officer at the inspection.
This visit followed a complaint nearly a month ago by environmental activist Vaishali Rana, who reported that HSPCB Gurgaon was not collecting samples despite the continuous spillage of leachate into the Aravalis.
Rana, present at the inspection, said, "Officials found the DTRO non-operational at the site. They also raised serious concerns about the missing perimeter wall. Although the designated landfill area is approximately 30 acres, the MCG has extended operations beyond this space."
In Sept, the municipal corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) proposed a two-phase study on groundwater quality in and around the Bandhwari landfill, at an estimated cost of Rs 2.5 crore.
The first phase will examine groundwater quality within a 5km radius, focusing on physico-chemical characteristics and heavy metal levels in samples from nearby tubewells to assess the water's suitability for consumption and domestic use. The second phase will involve a detailed study, including aquifer mapping within a 15km radius of the landfill.