The New Indian Express 05.11.2009

Hyderabad-based firm bags waste management deal

CHENNAI: The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) on Wednesday signed an integrated solid waste management project deal with Hyderabad-based Ramky Group to maintain the 60-acre fruits and vegetables market in the Koyambedu Wholesale Market Complex (KWMC) and the biomethanation facility to generate power from organic waste.

The deal, which was signed by CMDA member secretary and chairman of Market Management Committee (MMC) Vikram Kapur and K Banuja of Ramky Enviro Engineers Limited, is to remove 150 to 180 metric tonnes of garbage per day from around 3, 500 shops in the area. Kapur told Express that the project, the first of its kind in the country, will be in place for the next 12 years and the partial commencement will be in the next three months.

Ramky will maintain the complex and the 250 kw power plant that uses the organic waste to generate power through biomethanation, a process that uses the combustible methanerich gas generated during the decomposition of the waste to fuel the power plant.

The garbage will be segregated as biodegradable and non-biodegradable.

The biodegradable waste will be used to make fertilisers while the non-biodegradable will be dumped at the Kodingayur dumpyard, said chief administrative officer of KWMC T Anbalagan. The recycled waste will be used to generate electricity, Anbalagan said. The plant was established by the CMDA with the assistance of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India. Out of the total project cost of Rs 5.50 crore, the Ministry contributed Rs 3.75 crore, while the rest was contributed by the CMDA and the Market Management Committee.

CMDA vice-chairman Susan Mathew was present during the occasion.