The biogas plant at Connemara market in Palayam started full-fledged operations on Sunday, using the waste collected from around 600 houses in the Palayam ward.
Twenty Kudumbashree workers have been given the task of waste-collection. In the ward of 2,350 houses, waste generated from approximately 1,500 residences is expected to be processed in the plant plus the leftovers from the fish and vegetable market. The processing capacity of the plant is two tonnes of garbage a day.
“Our intention is to make this ward, where the Kerala University, Legislative Assembly, University College and Corporation office are situated, garbage-free. Some of the houses here have already set up pipe-composts,” said Palayam Rajan, ward councillor of Palayam.
On Sunday, the plant was operated till 12 pm.
For collecting the waste, each household has to pay Rs 60 per month, which also includes spraying three times for mosquito eradication as part of the ‘Bye-bye mosquito’ programme of the Corporation.
The estimated garbage generated in the market area itself comes to around one tonne a day and the remaining amount will be carried from the houses. The Kudumbashree workers will also collect plastic and paper waste, which they would sell to scrap dealers.
An inaugural ceremony of the new plant is also planned, which is slated to be held this month itself and the shortcomings, if any, identified during the fully-operational stage will be duly rectified.
From the plant, 30 kilowatts of electricity is to be generated that will light 15 energy-efficient lamps to be set up in a few days’ time in the fish market and open areas of the market.
The plant was set up at a cost of Rs 30 lakh, and an additional Rs four lakh spent for beautification. The plant has been undergoing trial run since August 1.
Tharoor’s Call to Adopt Time-tested Technologies for waste management
T’Puram: Minister of State for Human Resource Development Shashi Tharoor has asked the City Corporation to consider adopting time-tested projects and technologies for solid waste management in the capital.
‘’The Corporation should adopt new technologies such as waste-to-energy, waste-to-road and waste-to-brick,’’ he said.
‘’When other municipalities and corporations are making profit from the waste, we are just suffering because of waste. In Puduchery, the municipality makes vermi-compost from garbage,’’ he said.
Stressing that waste management was the responsibility of the municipalities and the corporations, Tharoor said it was for the first time that he was hearing that waste management was the responsibility of the state government.