The Times of India        27.01.2011

CHENNAI: Mayor M
Subramanian will call on senior officials of the Union ministry of
environment and forests in the first week of February to speed up
clearance for the Kodungaiyur integrated solid waste management project.
The project has been awaiting the ministry’s nod since July last year
when a panel under the ministry gave its clearance.

In a global tender in 2009, the Chennai Corporation identified Bangalore-based Terra Firma Private Limited
to execute the project in Kodungaiyur. The Rs 31-crore project includes
conversion of waste into manure and fuel, brick manufacturing from
debris, recycling of plastic and scientific landfill.

The Union
ministry’s expert appraisal committee had cleared the project in July
last year subject to proper disposal of gas generated from the site,
collection and treatment of leachate, necessary clearance from the
ground water authority and periodical monitoring of groundwater. “For
months now, senior officials of the corporation have been frequenting
the ministry, but nothing has moved” Subramanian told TOI.

The
dumping grounds at Perungudi and Kodungaiyur are bursting at their seams
as the city generates 3,700 tonnes of grabage every day.

Terra
Firma, a Bangalore-based company, won the 20-year contract for the
Kodungaiyur solid waste management plant under
design-build-operate-maintain-transfer basis. The local body will get a
royalty of Rs 41.85 per tonne of waste treated by the company and get a
hike of 5% every year.

The appraisal committee has recommended
the fulfilment of various provisions of the Hazardous Wastes (Managing,
Handling and Trans-boundary movement) Rules, 2008. The project aims at
utilising 90% of organic waste.

A similar project at Perungudi
could not be taken up by the corporation as the National Green Tribunal
is yet to begin its hearing on a case filed by the Save Pallikaranai Marshland Forum questioning the feasibility of the project.