Gurugram, Sept. 2 -- More than a year after the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) was directed to install a leachate treatment plant at the Bandhwari landfill, the project is yet to take off, with the civic body continuing to rely on tankers to transport the contaminated liquid to Behrampur sewage treatment plant (STP). MCG has prepared a Rs.24-crore proposal to establish a permanent system for the collection, storage and treatment of leachate at Bandhwari. The proposal, however, is currently awaiting approval from Haryana government since a year, officials said. According to MCG, around 200-220 kilolitres of leachate is generated at the landfill every day. The problem intensifies during the monsoon as rainfall increases the volume of leachate and raises the risk of the contaminated liquid flowing beyond the landfill site. The Bandhwari landfill is located close to the Aravalli forest area. Uncontrolled discharge of leachate could pose a threat to the surrounding soil, groundwater, vegetation and wildlife. The wildlife department had written to the MCG and the urban local bodies department last week, flagging the need for proper management of the liquid waste. Describing the leachate as a "black poisonous river", the department had called for measures to prevent its uncontrolled movement. Leachate is a contaminated liquid generated when rainwater or moisture percolates through waste deposited at a landfill. The permanent system proposed by the MCG includes a boundary wall, concrete storage tanks for containing leachate, leachate treatment plant, and a concrete garland drain. Vaishali Rana, an environmental expert, said, "Leachate is one of the most serious environmental risks associated with an untreated landfill. If it is not properly collected, stored and scientifically treated, it can seep into the soil and contaminate groundwater, while uncontrolled discharge can also affect nearby natural ecosystems. At Bandhwari, the proximity of the landfill to the Aravallis makes a permanent leachate treatment system particularly important. Tanker-based transportation can only be a temporary arrangement; the priority should be to establish a robust collection, storage and treatment mechanism at the landfill itself." Vijay Dhaka, chief engineer, MCG, said, "Our focus as of now is to clear the legacy waste. Once the legacy waste is cleared and the proposal is approved, we will start the work of installing the leachate treatment plant."...