Hydrogeological Environmental Assessment of Sanitary Landfill Project at Jammu City, India

Abstract

The environmental impact assessment process has been envisaged as an integral part of development planning aimed towards minimizing environmental degradation. This study is a preliminary assessment of the possible environmental impact of a proposed landfill facility for the city of Jammu in India. The objectives of this preliminary assessment are: to compile an environmental inventory of the project area, to predict the possible impact on groundwater quality; and to prepare an environmental management plan of the project site. The vulnerability of ground water to contamination in the study area was quantified by using the DRASTIC model. The calculated DRASTIC index number indicates a high pollution potential for the study area. Keywords: landfill, environmental impact, aquifer, lechates, DRASTIC. The safe and reliable long-term disposal of solid waste residues is an important component of integrated waste management. Historically, landfills have been the most common, environmentally and economically acceptable method of disposal of solid waste. Even with the implementation of waste reduction, recycling, and transformation technologies, disposal of solid waste in landfills remains a significant component of an integrated waste management strategy (Tchobanoglous, Theisen & Vigil, 1993). Environmental impact assessment (EIA) can be defined as the systematic identification and evaluation of the potential impacts of proposed projects, plans, programs, or legislative actions relative to the physical, chemical, biological, cultural, and socio-economic components of the total environment. The prime purpose of the EIA process is to encourage the consideration of the environment in planning and decision-making to ultimately arrive at actions that are more compatible with the environment (Canter, 1996). In India the environmental impact assessment exercises in the case of landfill projects are still at a development stage. Environmental legislation pertaining to the submission of an environmental impact assessment report for landfills was enacted two years ago. To date, about 50 sanitary landfill projects have been conceived, designed, and completed in India. But consideration of the environmental parameters in designing and developing these projects has been neglected. According to legislation on municipal solid waste-formulated and enacted by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest as empowered under the Environment Protection Act of 1986-the submission of an environmental impact assessment prior to the designing and development of any landfill facility in the country has been made mandatory (Government of India, Management & Handling Rules, 2000). Any municipal authority or designated agency engaged in the management of municipal solid waste anywhere in the country must perform an environmental impact assessment of the proposed site for a sanitary landfill operation. Landfill projects must comply with the standards for air, water (ground and surface), pollution, and other environmental norms (Bhardwaj & Singh, 1997). Objective and Importance of Study The development of a sanitary landfill facility proposed by the local municipal corporation of the city of Jammu is justifiable as ensuring the establishment of a sound solid waste management system. Jammu has experienced massive urbanization in recent years and the present system of solid waste management has failed to accommodate the quantity of solid waste that is presently being generated in the city. A preliminary environmental impact assessment study for the proposed project has the following objectives: 1. To compile an environmental inventory of the project area. This includes the following details: a. Hydrogeological settings b. Geographical and meteorological details c. Land use pattern of the study area d. Ground water quality of the study area e. Demographic details 2. …