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Solid Waste Management

Now, gas from vegetable waste!

Wednesday, 12 February 2014 05:22 administrator
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The Hindu              12.02.2014

Now, gas from vegetable waste!

Eco-friendly power:The ‘biomethation’ plant at Alwal.— Photo: G. Ramakrishna
Eco-friendly power:The ‘biomethation’ plant at Alwal.— Photo: G. Ramakrishna

Everyday the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) does the gargantuan task of mopping up around 4,000 metric tonnes of municipal solid waste generated by the city and transport it to the gigantic municipal dump yard at Jawaharnagar.

Even though segregation of waste has been a non-starter, a few municipal officials have been taking the initiative to ‘manage’ the biodegradable waste. For instance, in Macha Bolarum area under Alwal circle, a unique ‘biomethation’ plant of converting vegetable waste into gas has been running successfully.

Six months ago, North Zone Commissioner S. Harikrishna and his team noticed lot of waste generated by the vegetable market in the area and any slight delay in moving it to the dump yard was leading to much stink. Having seen vegetable waste to gas plant run by the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation for a few months some years ago, the North Zone Commissioner decided to set one such unit here. The Khadi & Village Industries Commission was given the task of constructing a gas plant involving an expenditure of Rs.4.3 lakh with vegetable waste as the primary source. A crushing plant fabricated from Coimbatore was brought here and it has been up and functioning well.

The gas thus generated is currently being given free to an orphanage right opposite the plant where about 70 children are staying with the maintenance cost coming to about Rs. 3,000 a month including electricity and labour charges for working about two hours a day.

Huge savings

The gas generated is equal to 10 cylinders a month, which means the orphanage, is spending that much less on LPG cylinders. And this was also leading to 500 kg less of garbage being transported which means savings for the GHMC to the tune of Rs. 3.5 lakh a year, points put Mr. Harikrishna

“Even the vegetable residue coming out after the gas is generated can be a good source of manure although we are releasing it into an existing drain,” he explains.

 

Get ready to pay SWM cess in M'lore

Tuesday, 11 February 2014 09:07 administrator
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Deccan Herald              11.02.2014

Get ready to pay SWM cess in M'lore

District-in-Charge Minister B Ramanath Rai at the review meeting of development works in Mangalore City Corporation limits at MCC hall on Monday. DH Photo

Amidst opposition over levying solid waste management (SWM) cess on general public to generate revenue for implementing the three package SWM project in the city, District-in-Charge Minister B Ramanath Rai put the ball to the MCC Administrator’s court, directing him to take a call on the matter after consulting with local MLAs. 

The issue came to the fore at the review meeting of development works in MCC limits, chaired by the District-in-Charge Minister at MCC hall on Monday. MCC Commissioner Ajith Kumar Hegde revealed that the previous deputy commissioner who was also the administrator of the Corporation had approved the proposal on levying SWM cess on July 24, 2013 and it is now upto MCC to implement the cess. “We have received audit objection for not implementing the cess, while all other city corporations in the State have implemented it,” he said.

Objecting to the move, corporators said that it would cause an additional burden on the people. Corporator Mahabal Marla said that people will have to shell out minimum Rs 500 per annum as SWM cess apart from the property tax that they are paying. MLA J R Lobo batted for SWM cess as he said the cess collection was necessary to maintain the city clean and free from litter. 

“Though people expect the city to be clean, they are not ready to pay tax for the maintenance, which is not logical. Cess has to be introduced, perhaps, with revised rates,” he said. Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator A B Ibrahim too expressed his willingness to cut down the cess rate. Imposing Rs 500 cess per year, might be a burden for people residing in small houses. As per the approved cess, tax levied for residential buildings upto 1,000 sq ft is Rs 40 per month. This rate could be revised to Rs 20 per month, while the price fixed for houses above 1,000 sq ft and commercial buildings could remain intact,” the DC said.

Tender issues

The meeting witnessed  heated exchange of words between the DC and corporators over the issue of allotting tenders in MCC limits without administrative approval. When the corporators blamed it on the contractors for an inordinate delay in implementing development works, the DC said that the impending disorder was due to allotting tenders without receiving the administrative approval. The district-in-charge minister too held the administrator responsible for the situation.

An angered DC, took it as an insult meted out at him, for the error committed by his predecessors. “All the tenders were allotted before I took charge,” he clarified. Minister Ramanath Rai directed the DC to ensure that all pending works to be completed at the earliest. “All works should be completed on time, failing which officers will be sent home,” he warned. Lobo said that those contractors who failed to take up the work should be blacklisted. 

Rai refused to comment on the proposal of Greater Mangalore and the proposal to revise the self assessment scheme. He suggested to take a decision after the council comes into existence. He also instructed the deputy commissioner to act upon the proposal of constructing a service bus stand at Pumpwell, without further delay. The DC said a full-fledged bus stand could be set up in the available seven acre land, using modern technologies than waiting to acquire additional land. 

 

Firm to segregate waste for free at Zone 8,9

Tuesday, 11 February 2014 08:55 administrator
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Deccan Herald              11.02.2014

Firm to segregate waste for free at Zone 8,9

The much delayed zero waste management projects of Mysore City Corporation (MCC) is expected to receive a minor boost, with zero waste management plants built at Zone 8 and 9, set to become operational within a week.

Unlike other zero waste management plants, which were partially funded by MCC, the two plants will be operated without any financial aid, much to the relief of the financially burdened civic body.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Girish Prasad, chairman of the standing committee on health, education and social justice, said that a private firm Page Trust had come forward to manage and segregate the waste, in 17 wards of Zone 8 and 9. 


With this, the number of operational zero waste managements plants in MCC limits, has increased to six. Three plants are yet to begin operations. A total of nine decentralised zero waste management plants were constructed in MCC limits at an estimated cost of Rs 3.6 crore, he said.

Auction

Earlier, the Corporation used to hand over the plants to self-help groups (SHGs) after an auction process. The groups were provided financial assistance for a period of six months, as wages for Pourakarmikas and other expenses, after which they had to self-sustain the plants. Some plants were provided additional financial assistance even after the period, Girish said.

Competition

MCC Health Officer, Dr D G Nagaraj said that zero waste management had turned profitable for SHGs, owing to which there was tremendous competition. 

He affirmed that few groups have approached MCC to operate zero waste management plants for free. “All the details of the concerned firms are being verified, before these groups are given a go ahead.” he said.

 
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