The Hindu 25.03.2010
Madhavaram asks varsity to draw up waste management DPR
K.Lakshmi
| Project report to be prepared within three months |
— File photo 
Set to change: Burning of garbage at Kilburn Nagar dumping yard is expected to reduce with the Madhavaram Municipality planning solid waste management measures.
CHENNAI: The Madhavaram Municipality has approached the Centre for Environmental Studies, Anna University, to prepare a detailed project report for an integrated solid waste management system.
Sources at the Centre for Environmental Studies said that the report would assess the present waste management practices adopted by the municipality — nearly 45 tonnes of garbage is generated daily in the local body — and the characterisation of the waste. It would also deal with the aspects of composting and landfill and the amount of garbage that is recyclable.
While garbage from slaughter houses could be used for biogas generation, the plastic and paper waste could be given to cement plants looking for alternative fuels, they said.
The Centre's director A. N. Gopalakrishnan said the project report would be prepared within three months.
As part of its efforts to become environment-friendly and manage waste better, the municipality, which has a population of about one lakh, recently, started source segregation of garbage on a pilot basis. “We have started source segregation at the household-level. Nearly six tonnes of plastic waste is generated daily. We give it free of cost for recycling as of now,” said a senior official of the local body.
Residents of Kilburn Nagar, who face problems out of burning of the garbage, said the municipality must ensure that the waste is segregated in a scientific manner and prevent burning. The local body must also ensure that sewage from the neighbouring areas, which lack underground drainage network, must not be released in to the site.
The local body is also attempting to compost the biodegradable waste in the 4.5 acre dumping yard at Kilburn Nagar.
It plans to float tenders for selling the plastic waste and manure. However, issues pertaining to management of inert waste and landfill need to be sorted out, the official said.
“We are planning to decentralise the garbage collection and identified four places, including in Thanikachalam Nagar and Lakshmipuram, so far for the purpose,” the official added.
