The State government will set up a pilot project to produce power
from municipal solid waste at Erode, Minister for Environment K. C.
Karupannan said here recently.

Speaking at the World
Environment Day celebrations organised by the Tamil Nadu Pollution
Control Board and Department of Environment, the Minister said that he
along with officials had recently visited a similar plant in Delhi that
is utilising 2,000 tonnes of garbage a day.

“We are serious about bringing about a solution to the issue of municipal solid waste,” he said.

Mr.
Karupannan also said that Erode would soon get two plants to treat
waste water from dyeing units in the region. “A Bengaluru-based company
has developed the technology wherein a day one lakh litres are treated
and the end product is clear water. The units cost Rs. 1.50 crore and
the amount was collected by the public in of Erode in just four hours,”
he said. The Department had written to the Centre for funds for a Rs.
660 crore project to prevent coastal erosion in the State.

The
Minister, who released the TNPCB’s compendium of government orders,
proceedings and rules, also released a volume on the State of
Environment in Tamil Nadu.

Director of Environment H. Malleshappa,
Environment Secretary Mohammed Nasimuddin, TNPCB Chairman Atulya Misra
and TNPCB Member Secretary N. Sundara Gopal also spoke.