The Times of India               07.05.2013

Major garbage treatment drive planned in district

Officials with the state government said that
priority would be given to applications submitted by residents of grama
panchayats. “Last year, we focused on municipalities. So, we couldn’t
cater to the requirements of panchayats. This time, we intent to
compensate for it,” said P K Alexander, district coordinator, Suchitwa
Mission, Ernakulam district.

For setting up a biogas plant, the
state government would bear 50% of the cost while the concerned local
body would provide 25%. The beneficiary will have to fund the rest. In
the case of pipe compost plant, the local body and the state government
will contribute a total of 90%. “Setting up a pipe compost unit is
cheaper. It would cost only Rs 900. A biogas plant on the other will
need Rs 8,500. So preference will be given to pipe compost units,”
Alexander said.

According to Suchitwa Mission officials, the
project would continue till all the households in the district are
covered. On an average, there are about 5,000 households in each
panchayat in the district. Ernakulam has 84 grama panchayats, 11
municipalities and a corporation.