CM approves Rs7b landfill at Lakhoder

Will have capacity to dispose of 2,500 tons a day.

LAHORE:

The chief minister has approved the construction of a landfill facility at Lakhoder village costing Rs7 billion, said a press release issued by the Lahore Waste Management Company on Tuesday.

An environmental impact assessment report for the project has been conducted and a no-objection certificate obtained from the Environmental Protection Department, said the press release.

The acquisition of land for the site has been started and about 140 acres will be handed over to the LWMC by July 10 so it can begin work on the integrated landfill facility. ISTAC is providing technical assistance for the project. The design, technical drawings, financial feasibility and bidding documents are to be finished by December 2012. Construction will then be outsourced through a competitive, international bidding process.

The facility is estimated to cost Rs7 billion and Rs1.5 billion will be budgeted for the project in the first year. Once finished, the LWMC should be able to dispose of 2,500 tons of waste a day at the site. The company will seek to add more facilities for more modern or cleaner methods of waste disposal – like incineration, composting and using trash to generate power – at the site in time in partnership with the private sector.

The LWMC said the integrated landfill site would be the first of its kind in the country. The LWMC said it had also reached sale of waste agreements with the private sector for the disposal of 3,000 tons of waste per day. The private companies would be responsible for ensuring that the disposal methods conform to environmental laws.

The LWMC is also conducting a “waste characterisation study”, with the help of ISTAC. The study would help the LWMC better plan its operations and identify the best methods for the disposal of waste. Ahmet Nuri and Mr Ali Yamman of ISTAC are currently in Lahore on an official visit with regards to the study.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 4^th, 2012. 

Correction: In an earlier version of the story, "ISTAC" was mistakenly written as "ISBAK". The error is regretted.