The biogas plant at Connemara market in Palayam started full-fledged
operations on Sunday, using the waste collected from around 600 houses
in the Palayam ward.

 Twenty Kudumbashree workers have been given
the task of waste-collection. In the ward of 2,350 houses, waste
generated from approximately 1,500 residences is expected to be
processed in the plant plus the leftovers from the fish and vegetable
market. The processing capacity of the plant is two tonnes of garbage a
day.

 “Our intention is to make this ward, where the Kerala
University, Legislative Assembly, University College and  Corporation
office are situated, garbage-free. Some of the houses here have already
set up pipe-composts,” said Palayam Rajan, ward councillor of Palayam.

 On Sunday, the plant was operated till 12 pm.

 For
collecting the waste, each household has to pay Rs 60 per month, which
also includes spraying three times for mosquito eradication as part of
the ‘Bye-bye mosquito’ programme of the Corporation.

The estimated
garbage generated in the market area itself comes to around one tonne a
day and the remaining amount will be carried from the houses. The
Kudumbashree workers will also collect plastic and paper waste, which
they would sell to scrap dealers.

 An inaugural ceremony of the
new plant is also planned, which is slated to be held this month itself
and the shortcomings, if any, identified during the fully-operational
stage will be duly rectified.

 From the plant, 30 kilowatts of
electricity is to be generated that will light 15 energy-efficient lamps
to be set up in a few days’ time in the fish market and open areas of
the market.

 The plant was set up at a cost of Rs 30 lakh, and an
additional Rs four lakh spent for beautification. The plant has been
undergoing trial run since August 1.

Tharoor’s Call to Adopt Time-tested Technologies for waste management

T’Puram:
Minister of State for Human Resource Development Shashi Tharoor has
asked the City Corporation to consider adopting time-tested projects and
technologies for solid waste management in the capital.

 ‘’The Corporation should adopt new technologies such as waste-to-energy, waste-to-road and waste-to-brick,’’ he said.

 ‘’When
other municipalities and corporations are making profit from the waste,
we are just suffering because of waste.  In Puduchery, the municipality
makes vermi-compost from garbage,’’ he said.

 Stressing that
waste management was the responsibility of the municipalities and the
corporations, Tharoor said it was for the first time that he was hearing
that waste management was the responsibility of the state government.