The Hindu 06.04.2013
Proposal for biogas power plant
The Erode Corporation has proposed to establish a biogas plant to generate power from the organic waste generated in the town.
The
proposal, according to the civic officials, will enable the civic
administration to dispose the organic waste scientifically and reduce
its electricity bill.
The town generates more than
250 tonnes of waste of which more than 70 per cent was organic that
could be used to feed the biogas plant.
“Initially, we are setting up the plant to use 10 tonnes of waste every day,” said Corporation Commissioner M. Vijayalakshmi.
The
plant would come up at a cost of Rs. 90 lakh at the civic body’s dump
yard at Vendipalayam. The proposal would be submitted to the State
Government for its approval, officials here said.
The
electricity generated from the plant would be used for street lighting
and the operation of motor pumps. The spent material would be in the
form of organic compost that could be used as a manure for crops,
officials added.
Apart from generating power, the
plant would ease the civic body’s burden of disposing the garbage
generated in the town. Currently, the civic body is facing a huge
problem in waste disposal as its dump yard is already overflowing.
“There
is little space available at the yard now. If we continue to dump the
garbage without treating it, it will lead to major environmental
problems,” a senior official here said.
Since the
yard is full, the civic body is not able to ensure regular collection of
waste from the households and commercial establishments. As a result, a
huge amount of waste end up on streets and it remains there uncollected
for days together, posing serious threat to the health of the
residents.
