Kolkata’s Landfill Crisis: The City’s Dependency On The Sole Landfill Of Dhapa May Soon Result In An Unresolvable Crisis. At Kolkata’s sole landfill, more than 4,000 metric tonnes of waste go in every day, despite the landfill's lifespan being over decades ago. Dhapa began to function as a landfill during British Rule in India The landfill has reached a height of above 50 feet The landfill area is also home to more than 30,000 people. Is There A Way Out For Dhapa? Recently it was announced that the KMC would provide tax rebates to those who segregate and compost waste in their residences. This announcement was made to lessen the amount of daily garbage generated by the city, which would translate to less garbage transported to the landfill. But this does not translate into a long term solution as firstly the KMC is yet to come up with a concrete plan on the tax incentives initiative, and secondly participation related to segregating and composting alone cannot be expected to reduce a city’s daily garbage generation. The existing amount of garbage in Dhapa must be cleared out using scientific process and treated simultaneously. Though time consuming, the process will ensure smooth clearance of the heaps of garbage. As recommended by the external agencies, the KMC can identify small temporary spots for garbage disposal. It is also highly important that the whole landfill is reconstructed using scientific methods such as base made of clay, drainage layers constructed of soil and vegetative layers to minimise soil erosion. Kolkata’s dependency on Dhapa cannot be questioned but to avoid a repetition of last week’s incident at Ghazipur, the civic body and the state government must act and act fast to save not only the city’s waste scenario, but thousands of Dhapa’s residents as well. ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nu8asJpWouc

... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=De1BmkXcnRI