VIJAYAWADA: With no takers for the VMC’s proposal to rejuvenate the existing biomethanation plant at Ajith Singh Nagar, the civic body’s efforts to generate electricity and compressed natural gas (CNG) by recycling biodegradable waste is proving futile.
According to VMC officials, Pune-based Mailhem Engineers Private Limited established the biomethanation plant in 2004 with a capacity of 20 metric tonnes per day for production of methane gas from vegetable, horticulture and slaughterhouse wastes. However, due to technical reasons the company closed the plant just after a year.
Recently, Vijayawada Mayor Koneru Sreedhar and civic chief J Nivas toured Indore and reviewed progress of various projects being implemented in the city, which secured the cleanest city award from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs for the second consecutive year. The duo inspected the biomethanation plant set up by Indore Municipal Corporation, where CNG is produced, and instructed the officials concerned to replicate the same in Vijayawada.
Speaking to TNIE on Tuesday, VMC superintendent engineer J V Ramakrishna said the civic body invited bids from companies for rejuvenating existing biomethanation plant at Ajith Singh Nagar on June 18.
With the deadline ended on July 9, no company filed their bids.
‘’We are unaware of the capacity of gas generated from the biomethanation plant when it was under operation in 2004. Recently, a team of representatives from Indore Municipal Corporation visited the city to inspect the plant and gave nod to make use of the already installed machinery. They also suggested the VMC to make few changes before drafting the detailed project report,” he added.
What is biomethanation?
Biomethanation is a process in which organic waste is converted into biogas. The biogas produced from the waste is a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide and can be used to generate power.
City generates 550 metric tonnes of garbage everyday
VMC invited bids for rejuvenating the plant on June 18
With the deadline ended on July 9, no company filed their bids