Monitoring of Landfills in Various Indian Cities: A Review

A landfill is a facility which is designed for the safe disposal of solid wastes. The bottom liners and a top Cover, of the landfill are considered as the most critical components. Penetration of Leachate in to the soil is the major problem in landfills. This paper highlight the monitoring of landfill in India over the period 1987–2010 and provides details of the main sources of guidance on the safe control and use of landfill gas. Control measures include provision of proper cover over each site along with surface water drainage system and also vertical barriers (cut-offs), wherever necessary. Historically, there have been only a few projects in India but recently some new projects were sanctioned by the Indian government for getting rid of problems associated with MSW. Unfortunately, many of these disposal sites have not been properly engineered and monitored. Unsecure landfill areas are contributors of soil, air and water pollution around the site. Beside that green house gases (GHG) emission from landfill areas is concern to the global warming.