The Hindu 09.07.2013
Biogas plants to be set up at 62 places
Over the past few months, the city Corporation has been
aggressively promoting decentralised systems of waste management through
ward-level meetings.
Going a step further, the civic
body has now formulated a project to install 62 high-capacity biogas
plants in the city. It has sought Rs.7.25 crore from the State
government for the project.
Following the success of
the biogas plant set up at Sreekanteswaram a few months ago, the civic
body has decided to install community-based biogas plants. Corporation
officials are compiling a list of all government or Corporation-owned
spaces in the city where these could be set up.
Vikas
Bhavan, Vanchiyoor court complex, and Music College are some of the
spots proposed by the civic body. Once the Suchitwa Mission receives the
project report, its officials will examine the sites and provide
technical sanction for the project, following which Expression of
Interest will be invited.
In the months after the
closure of the Vilappilsala waste treatment plant, biogas plants and
pipe composts were generally regarded with suspicion by the public, with
many voicing concern about their maintenance.
Moreover, people were largely unaware of the subsidies on offer by the mission which is under the State government.
The
ward-level conventions had offered city residents a forum to do the
paperwork to avail of subsidies and to know more about the plants which
appear to be the only realistic hope in managing biodegradable waste.
Wards such as Chettivilakom, where most houses have biogas plants, are almost 100 per cent garbage-free.
Vikas Bhavan, Vanchiyoor court complex, and Music College are some of the spots proposed by the Corporation for the project.