The Hindu              24.07.2013 

VMC for new dumping site at Pathapadu

G.V.R. Subba Rao

The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) is likely to acquire a land of 20 to 25 acres at Pathapadu to dump garbage generated in the city. The Corporation authorities have examined a piece of land adjacent to an existing pit.

They also explored another option: 55-acre site at Nunna near here. The garbage disposal problem will be solved, at least temporarily. The VMC authorities, however, are inclined to acquire the land at Pathapadu for various reasons including proximity. The access to the site at Nunna is not very easy. The Corporation has invested on creating infrastructure like roads and the villagers would not raise any objection.

The Corporation spent about Rs.4 crore, including Rs.1.5 crore for infrastructure and pits for scientific disposal following stiff opposition from Pathapadu villagers. The officials feel that a similar demand is likely to crop up at Nunna if land were to be acquired there.

The Corporation recently formed three teams to inspect the sites located at Gannavaram, Agiripalli, Kanchikacherla, Ibrahimpatnam and other areas. A 30-acre land at Konda Pavuluuru village in Gannavaram mandal and a 10-acre quarry land in Thotapalli village in Agiripalli mandal are some of the sites that were found to be suitable for dumping yard.

These sites are 26 km away from the VMC main office. The officials said that there were approach roads to these sites and suitable for land filling, however, forest clearance was required for utilising them.

The VMC had plans to develop a scientific dumping yard on a 200-acre of land at Adivinekkalam, but the villagers opposed it. The operation and maintenance, provisions of various Forest Acts, creation of infrastructure, and other such problems were seen as obstacles.

The city generates nearly 550 tonnes of MSW every day. Nearly 250 tonnes of it is being dumped at Pathapadu and the remaining at Shri Ram Energy Systems for power generation.