New Delhi: Taking lessons from the sprawling 110-acre Brahmapuram dumpyard fire that hit Kochi in Kerala on March 2, the State Government is now planning to deploy drones to survey landfills and dump yards across the State.

The first-of-its-kind initiative aims to gauge the volume and characteristics, composition of the dumpsites. Funded by the World Bank, the drive will be conducted jointly by the Kerala State Solid Waste Management Project and Local Self-Government Department (LSGD).

Experts from the World Bank have finalised the terms and references for the surveys. Drone surveys are considered very effective as they are advanced methods that don’t require human intervention. The Government, through the surveys, wants to find the characteristics of the dumpyards, their density and what type of waste is accumulated there.

LSGD has identified around 44 dumpyards for the surveys. Of them, 40 come under municipalities and corporations, and four under panchayats.

It is believed that data from the surveys will supplement biomining efforts.

The Kerala Government is taking steps to clear the huge heaps of legacy waste from various dumpsites. Of the 44 dumpsites around 18 have been cleared with approximately 1.59 lakh tonnes of legacy waste removed.

The Union Government has allotted Rs 550 for biomining 1 tonne of legacy waste under Swachh Bharat Mission. For municipalities with population below 1 lakh, the Centre will bear 50 per cent of the cost, while the State Government and the local body concerned will cover 33 per cent and 17 per cent of the expense, respectively.

In local bodies where the population is above one lakh, the Centre and State will bear 33 per cent and 22 per cent, respectively, of the biomining cost, while the local body will cover the remaining 45 per cent. /BI/