Sudher waste site now processes 100 tonnes daily

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Commissioner Zafar Iqbal says 60–70 per cent of legacy waste has already been removed from the Sudher site

Dharamshala, August 26

The Sudher waste processing site in Dharamshala is currently processing around 100 tonnes of waste daily, while the Municipal Corporation aims to clear all remaining legacy waste by June next year, Commissioner Zafar Iqbal said.

Iqbal said there was a misconception among residents that Sudher continued to function as a dumping site. He clarified that the facility is no longer used for dumping and that both legacy waste from the old dump and fresh waste brought from Dharamshala are being scientifically processed.

More than one lakh tonnes of legacy waste had been accumulated at the site, of which around 60–70 percent has been removed over the past two years, he said. Excavation and processing of the remaining waste is continuing, with refuse-derived fuel (RDF) being produced and transported outside the site.

According to Iqbal, the facility previously had a processing capacity of around 50 tonnes per day. This was increased to approximately 100 tonnes daily in view of the prevailing circumstances.

However, rainfall affects the pace of operations. To ensure that fresh waste processing is not disrupted during rain, a roof has been constructed over the tipping floor, he said.

The approach road to the site has also been concreted to facilitate the movement of trucks transporting RDF and improve processing efficiency.

Iqbal emphasised that fresh waste collected from Dharamshala is not dumped at Sudher but processed scientifically.

The Municipal Corporation’s target is to completely remove the remaining legacy waste by June next year. Once the site is cleared, the corporation plans to develop an eco park there, which it said would provide the city with a cleaner and improved public space.