The Hindu 30.04.2013
Project was non-starter for years
More than a decade ago, as dumping of garbage in urban
local bodies in the city’s southern suburbs took a toll on water bodies,
the State government thought of an integrated facility for making
compost from waste generated in Pallavaram, Tambaram and Alandur.
After scouting locations for the project, in 2006, it was decided to create the facility at Venkatamangalam on a 50-acre site.
The
site belonged to the department of prisons and after transfer of
property a few dozen families living on the site were evicted.
In
2008, the Centre gave its sanction for the project, whose initial
estimated cost was Rs. 44 crore. Meanwhile, Alandur municipality (now
merged with Chennai Corporation) pulled out of the project in 2007.
After construction of a compound wall around the site, there was no
progress, barring the construction of a few columns.
Work orders were issued to a Mumbai-based contractor in 2009 and civil works began a year later.
However, work came to an abrupt end and the contractor abandoned the project.
It
was not until mid-2012 that it was decided to revive the project under
an entirely new design and now, both the contractor and the
commissionerate of municipal administration are confident the project
will be in place in a year’s time.
Officials pointed
out a successful project of a similar design currently in place in Pune
and run by a private company whose indigenously-developed technology was
patented.
