Kodungaiyur project on fast track

Thursday, 05 November 2009 05:16 administrator
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Deccan Chronicle 05.11.2009

Kodungaiyur project on fast track

November 5th, 2009
By Our Correspondent
Tags: Kodungaiyur project

Chennai
Nov. 4: The chief engineer of the city corporation on Wednesday rushed to Delhi to ensure that the prestigious project of establishing a zero waste centre at Kodungaiyur, in north Chennai, through which the city corporation plans to generate electricity and manure, is approved. The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), which assessed the plan and its environmental impact, has now forwarded the corporation’s proposal to the Central environmental committee under the Union ministry of environment and forests for approval.

According to Ripon Building sources, corporation commissioner Rajesh Lakh-oni is also gearing up to submit a presentation to the en-vironmental committee insi-sting that the project would reduce pollution in and around Kodungaiyur dumping yard. The commissioner would fly to Delhi shortly and appeal to the environmental committee that the zero waste centre would on-ly help the corporation red-uce its accumulated garbage load and there will not be any environmental hazard.

Sources with the solid waste management department of the corporation clarified that TNPCB, in a rec-ent communiqué, said highly polluted north Chennai industrial area Manali was located close to Kodungaiyur. As per the topographical sketch for 10 km radius furnished during the presentation before state environment impact assessment authority (SEIAA), it is seen that Manali, a critically polluted area identified by CPCB, is located within the 10 km radius of the site where the integrated facility is proposed to be put up. So, the proposal was forwarded to the Central committee. The communiqué also read that since the facility is proposed to be put up on the site for Chennai corporation alone, where the solid waste from the city is dumped, it is presumed that SEIAA can accord environmental clearance, the statement added.

The city generates on an average 3,600 tonnes waste daily. Neel Metal Fanalca and the corporation dump a majority of it at Pallikaranai, a marshland, and Kodungaiyur.