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Solid Waste Management

Panel to sensitize doctors on biomedical waste disposal

Wednesday, 15 May 2013 00:00 administrator
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The Times of India               15.05.2013

Panel to sensitize doctors on biomedical waste disposal

PUNE: A 28-member action committee of doctors has been formed to encourage medical practitioners to register for the common biomedical waste treatment facility at the Kailas crematorium.

Over 200 doctors associated with 14 different city-based associations met on Tuesday -- the last day of the 15-day drive started by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to register for the facility -- to form the action committee.

At present, very few clinics and dispensaries in Pune have subscribed to the facility for availing of scientific disposal of biomedical waste. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) started a drive on May 1 urging operators of clinics and hospitals to join the facility by May 15 or face stringent action. The PMC's efforts have so far received a lukewarm response with only 30 clinics responding till May 13.

"We have formed an action committee, which will soon meet civic health officials and put forth our demands, including door-to-door waste collection and affordable charges to avail of the treatment facility. The committee has also decided to sensitize doctors and mobilize them to join hands with the PMC," said Santaji Kadam, former president of general practitioners' association, Pune branch.

Over 6,000 clinics and 107 nursing homes/hospitals in the city are yet to comply. "Only 2,162 clinics send biomedical waste to the treatment facility which is located at Kailas crematorium, off Raja Bahadur Mill Road. The PMC has set a deadline of May 15 failing which stringent action will be taken under prevalent environment laws," said Kishore Pakhare, assistant medical officer of health and in-charge of biomedical waste management at the PMC.

 

2 garbage-based power plants in limbo

Wednesday, 15 May 2013 00:00 administrator
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The Times of India               15.05.2013

2 garbage-based power plants in limbo

HYDERABAD: A power plant proposed by Ramky Enviro Engineers Ltd to generate 48 megawatt (MW) from garbage dumped at Jawaharnagar is in limbo with the AP Pollution Control Board (APPCB) rejecting the consent for establishment (CFE) of the project.

Citing GO 148 issued by the department of environment, forest, science and technology in December 2000 prohibiting power plants near bio-tech parks, the APPCB denied permission for the Ramky plant (two units of 24 MW each) as it falls within 25-km radius of the Biotech Park at Shamirpet. However, since the power plant was being taken up as part of the Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) by Ramky, which entered into an agreement with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) in 2008, the corporation has requested the PCB to reconsider its decision and give clearance.

The GHMC authorities claimed there is no land available for establishing power plants away from Jawaharnagar and the corporation has been facing problems in identifying landfill in different parts of the city. The officials said environmental clearance was given for the project after conducting a public hearing last year. It also gave clearance for taking up preparatory works and pre-construction works.

"The municipal administration and urban development (MA&UD) department has requested the department of environment, forest, science and technology to make necessary amendments in the guidelines of bio-tech park (GO 148) and allow power plants that generate power from garbage," a senior GHMC official said.

Officials said the state government had allotted 339 acres of land in survey No. 173 in Jawaharnagar village for disposal of solid waste (dump yard). The land was earlier used by surrounding municipalities and the Secunderabad Cantonment Board for dumping garbage. Since 2004, the erstwhile Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad (now GHMC) has been using the land for dumping garbage generated in the city.

As part of the 2008 agreement between the GHMC and Ramky, two units of 24 MW each were being planned to generate energy from the 4,000-odd metric tones of waste daily. The ISWM project is meant for disposal of waste in a scientific manner without harming the environment and creating pollution in the area.

"The developer, Ramky, is planning to adopt the pusher grate with flue gas control system technology to minimise air pollution. The plants are meant to generate renewable energy from garbage and is not a regular power plant. The developer is also adopting best practices in treatment of solid waste, mainly to minimise the burden for future land acquisition," GHMC commissioner MT Krishna Babu, who has written a letter to APPCB recently, said.

The commissioner said the project not only helps in disposal of waste in a better way, but also benefits the city from environmental aspect as well. When contacted, GHMC executive engineer (Solid Waste Management) D Sudhakar said they have written to the APPCB to reconsider their decision and also amend bio-tech park rules.

 

Kozhikode gets a solution to waste menace

Wednesday, 15 May 2013 00:00 administrator
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The Times of India                15.05.2013

Kozhikode gets a solution to waste menace

KOZHIKODE: The Kozhikode Corporation will launch its much-hyped project for the disposal of bio-degradable waste right at the source point on May 15. Corporation mayor A K Premajam will launch the scheme at Cheruvannur.

The civic body planned the project for disposal of waste at the source point after Kudumbashree units in certain wards stopped door-to-door collection of waste collection. It also failed miserably when it came to levying heavy fines on people who litter public places in its limit. It was after this that the civic body decided to find a lasting solution to the increasing waste menace.

Under the project, the civic body will set up 29,900 pipe compost units and 750 biogas and vermicompost units each in all 75 wards of the corporation. The civic body will implement the project at an estimated cost of Rs 4 crore. The Kerala State Sanitation Mission will aid the corporation in implementing the project. The mission has already allotted Rs 3 crore for the project. The civic body will provide Rs 75 lakh as subsidy from its planning fund for the bio-degradable waste disposal system and rest will be funded through contributions from beneficiaries.

The fixed rate to set up a pipe compost unit is Rs 850, for a vermicompost unit it is Rs 1,200 and Rs 8,500 for a biogas plant. 90% of the cost for setting up pipe compost and vermicompost units will be provided by the corporation. In the case of biogas plants, 75% of the amount will be subsidized.

Sabhas in each ward will monitor the implementation of the scheme. The civic body will also direct wedding halls, meat shops, hotels and other institutions to set up biogas plants. Kozhikode-based Socio Economic Unit Foundation (SEUF) and Palakkad-based Integrated Rural Technology Centre (IRTC) will be the project implementing agencies.

"Beneficiary just need to spent around Rs 85 to set up a pipe compost unit, Rs 120 for a vermi compost unit and Rs 2,125 for a biogas plant. We hope to bring down the volume of waste that is dumped at Njeliyanparamba trenching ground to 20 tonnes from the existing quantity of more than 60 tonnes," said health standing committee chairperson Janamma Kunjunni. "The scheme will be expanded to all households within the corporation limit in a phased manner. We hope to find a permanent solution to the existing waste management crisis," she said. 

 
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