The Indian Express                           08.03.2013

City’s first biogas plant spews problems for nearby residents

The first biogas plant of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)
commissioned in 2010 as a solid waste management measure is making too
much wrong noises.

Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), acting on complaints,
inspected the plant and the neighbourhood in January and found that
there was indeed noise pollution from the plant. A file inspection under
the Right to Information (RTI) Act revealed that MPCB field officers
had found noise levels at the plant far higher than permissible limits.

The field visit of the MPCB also brought to fore that the
complaint of the residents of foul smell, and excess methane being burnt
leading to air pollution and effluents polluting the water had some
substance to it.

The plant uses 5 tonne segregated garbage and generates 300 cubic
metre of biogas daily. This was the first experiment in Pune to use
organic waste to generate biogas, which was used to run generators to
produce electricity to feed streetlights.

Field visits by MPCB officials measured noise level at 7.30pm at
three locations from the generator set and found it far higher than than
the permissible 45 dB (decibel) allowed in residential areas. Noise
behind Suyash Residency, at 3 metre from the generator set was 80 dB,
and that in the kitchen of a flat in nearby Suyash Residency was 58.9
dB. The bedroom of a flat in the same building showed a reading of 72.3
dB.

The report says, “It is also observed that when the flame gets
fired, the flare is seen from the kitchen of nearby buildings. On
enquiring with the operator of the plant, he told us the generator is
operated between 7pm and 7am, thus disturbing the sleep of people in the
nearby locality.” Also the report stated that the run-off from the
plant was released into the nullah, which emptied into the Mula river
thus increasing water pollution.

MPCB has sent a letter to the PMC to take immediate action to rectify the problems.

Vijay Landge, ward officer of Ghole Road, however, denied there
was any problem with the plant. “The plant is ISO certified and all
precautions have been taken. The operational noise is well within
prescribed limits,” he said.

A local resident, Ameya Jagtap, said the civic body should take
immediate steps to rectify the defects at the plant. “This plant is a
good for solid waste management and the PMC should take steps to design
the plant in such a manner that these complaints are addressed
immediately,” he said.