Rs 22-Crore Project Transforms Silchar’s Meherpur Dumping Ground

A CORRESPONDENT

SILCHAR: The Meherpur dumping ground in Silchar, once notorious for its towering garbage heaps and years of civic neglect, is undergoing a major transformation. Nearly two lakh metric tons of waste accumulated over seven decades is being cleared under a Rs 22 crore waste remediation and recovery drive under the Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 with support from the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER).  It involves the construction of a Rs 6.92-crore Material Recovery Facility (MRF) plant and a Rs 15.065-crore Legacy Waste Remediation project, with execution entrusted to Call and Fix, and close supervision by the Silchar Municipality Corporation.

On Wednesday, MLA Dipayan Chakraborty described the work as a turning point for Silchar’s urban future. For decades, the Meherpur dumping ground was a source of stench, pollution, and health hazards, casting a long shadow over nearby localities. Now, with nearly 20 percent of the waste already processed, the site is slowly shedding its image as an urban scar. SMC officials explained that advanced trammel machines were segregating plastics, inert matter, and biodegradable waste with greater efficiency. Recovered plastics are being sent to cement factories for co-processing, inert materials are being used to fill low-lying landfill areas, and organic matter is being converted into compost for gardening and greening projects across Silchar. Daily kitchen waste will also be treated in composting pits through a 21-day cycle, creating a sustainable waste-to-resource model.

Officials pointed out that the project is about reclaiming valuable urban land that had long been written off. Once cleared, the ground could be redeveloped for productive civic purposes.

MLA Chakraborty, said, “This is about restoring not just land but also confidence among the people that their city is moving in the right direction.”

Also Read: Assam: Plastic segregation machine gets operational in Kokrajhar dumping ground

Also Watch: