Kothamangalam municipality will begin biomining operations at the Kumbalathumuri dumping yard to remove approximately 27,000 tonnes of legacy waste accumulated over 35 years, in a project aimed at reducing pollution and reclaiming the site for future public use.
The work is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, with the project inauguration taking place at 10.30 am. Municipality chairperson Bhanumathi Raju will inaugurate the programme, while vice-chairperson Prince Varkey will preside over the function, according to a report by Mathrubhumi.
The project is part of a broader plan to scientifically recover old waste-disposal sites and convert them into environmentally safer and publicly useful spaces. The Kumbalathumuri yard has remained a long-standing concern for residents because of the large waste mound that has accumulated at the site over several decades.
The municipal contract for implementing the biomining project has been awarded to SMS Limited. Under the process, specialised machinery will be used to excavate, separate and process the old waste. Recyclable materials recovered from the waste stream will be handed over for recycling, while other waste components will be treated and disposed of in accordance with environmental standards.
Biomining is designed to deal with legacy waste that has already accumulated at an old dumping ground, rather than simply adding new waste to the site. The separation of recyclable and non-recyclable materials is expected to reduce the volume of waste requiring final disposal, although the report does not specify the project’s completion schedule, treatment capacity or final disposal facilities.
For residents living around Kumbalathumuri, the project addresses a long-standing demand to remove the waste mound and reduce pollution in the surrounding area. The municipality has described the work as a permanent solution to the continuing problem at the dumping yard.
Once the waste is removed, the recovered land is expected to be available for various public-purpose projects planned by the municipality. The site’s future use, however, will depend on the completion of waste removal and compliance with applicable environmental requirements.
The biomining operation is being presented as a significant step in Kothamangalam’s sanitation and waste-management efforts. The project’s next immediate milestone is the scheduled inauguration and commencement of work at the Kumbalathumuri dumping yard.
