CHENNAI : The detailed feasibility report to develop two waste-to-energy plants in Perungudi and Kodungaiyur to generate power by processing 5,500 tonnes of municipal solid waste from the city per day has been completed, according to P Madhusudhan Reddy, Deputy Commissioner (Health), Greater Chennai Corporation. Speaking at the two-day event ‘Urban Thinkers Campus - Roadmap to Zero Waste in Chennai’ organised by the Madras Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Reddy said that the site would be reclaimed and fresh waste processed through the power generation plants.
The 32-megawatt-capacity plants will incinerate the waste which reaches the landfill to produce energy. The operational and maintenance costs of the plants at Kodungaiyur and Perungudi are estimated at `1,243.50 crore and `1,163.43 crore respectively over a 20-year period.“We will be processing 100 percentage of waste through the incineration plant,” he said.
Currently, the city generates 5,500 tonnes of solid waste and 600 tonnes of construction and demolition wastes each day, which is being taken to the two dumping sites, he said, adding that of the waste generated in the city, 60 per cent is biodegradable, 20 to 25 per cent recycled waste and rest 10 to 15 per cent has to be put to landfill or for incineration. Once the plants are operational, the waste in the 200 acres site will be cleared, Reddy said.
It is learnt the waste-to-energy plants will be implemented through private-public partnership mode. The projects will be implemented over a five-year period, and bidding will be based on the design-build-operate-and-transfer model.
Reddy also said the Chennai Corporation had set up litter bins in seven or eight places across the city on pilot basis and urged the people to dispose of waste in the bins. He said government or local body can’t alone clear the waste without the cooperation of the residents.He also highlighted how the Swachh Bharat campaigns were being held in city on particular sites, which are usually kept spotlessly clean by the Chennai Corporation. “The issue with the organisers is visibility. If they come to us we could suggest sites which really require to be cleaned,” Reddy said.