The Hindu 25.01.2010
Garbage processing plant to be expanded, upgraded
Special Correspondent
Thiruvananthapuram: The City Corporation and the Centre for Environment and Development, the two agencies operating the garbage processing unit at Vilappilsala, have drawn up plans to enhance the capacity of the compost plant and equip it with better facilities. The first phase development of the plant is expected to increase the capacity to 300 tonnes from the present 170 tonnes a day. The work involves expanding the covered shed housing the main treatment plant along a 10-metre radius. An additional plant of 130 tonnes capacity will also be installed within the shed.
“The new plant is likely to be designed in-house. We are taking it up as a capacity-building exercise that will give us expertise in design and fabrication. This expertise can be put to use in installing similar units for other local self-government institutions and thereby reduce dependence on monopoly firms,” said Babu Ambatt, executive director, Centre for Environment and Development.
“On an average, 280 tonnes of garbage is transported to the plant every day, against the capacity of 170 tonnes. This has forced us to increase the height of the windrows (enclosures for storing the garbage) by 1.5 to 2 metres, making it difficult to turn the mass over from time to time,” explained Mr. Ambatt. Meanwhile, work on capping the huge mound of rejects from the treatment plant is over. “We have commenced the construction of a leachate treatment plant and issued the contract for construction of a sanitary landfill adjacent to the composting unit. The bids for the construction of a pelletization plant are being processed,” said G.R. Anil, chairman of the standing committee on Health.
The Corporation has installed a bailing machine for better storage of rejects that can be shifted to the landfill at a later stage. Simultaneously, the Corporation has submitted a proposal to the government to acquire 100 acres of land adjacent to the treatment plant.
Mr. Anil said efforts were on to augment the fleet of garbage trucks and equip them with better facilities. “A new lot of 10 trucks with air tight loading bays to contain the smell and leachate flow is expected to join the fleet soon.”
