The Times of India               06.06.2013

Corporation plans to treat organic waste using biomethanisation units

COIMBATORE: The city municipal corporation is mulling a proposal to set up small biomethanisation units for treating organic waste generated at the newly opened low budget Amma canteens in the city. The corporation has started 10 such tiffin centres and is expected to further expand to other parts of the city in the coming days. The proposal however is in the initial stages and officials are now studying its feasibility.

"We are exploring the possibility of setting up biomethanisation plants for Amma Unaivagams. A suggestion has been put forth and we will study it in detail in the coming days," said S Sivarasu, Deputy Commissioner, Coimbatore Corporation.

The corporation launched its tiffin centres earlier this week with much fanfare and has been receiving tremendous response from the public. Though the canteen is expected to operate for three hours in the morning for breakfast and another three hours in the afternoon, the food is sold out within the first two hours itself. The total quantity of food prepared at each centre includes 1200 idlis, 300 servings of Sambhar and Curd rice for lunch. The civic body will also analyse the total quantity of waste generated from these centres.

The corporation has already proposed the setting up of bigger biomethanisation units near Anna Aringar market and also at the proposed new site for the whole sale market in Kavundampalayam. The total capacity of these units is expected to be more than five metric tonnes. Corporation Commissioner G Latha had inspected biomethanisation plants being operated by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) which will be emulated here. The department of Municipal Administration and Water Supply has already sent circulars to all municipal corporations in the state to identify spots to set up and operate biomethanisation plants as part of its project to set up decentralised waste treatment centres in urban areas.