VIJAYAWADA: All decks have been cleared for setting up of waste-to-energy plants at 11 locations in the State to generate power by disposing of the garbage in the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).
Though, the State government gave its nod to the ULBs to go ahead with making agreements for setting up of 10 waste-to-energy plants, the process of installing the required machinery and construction activity had not yet commenced as some environmental issues came in the way.
However, officials of the Municipal Administration department had a series of consultations with those firms that came forward for setting up of the waste-to-energy plants and succeeded in overcoming the hurdles.
Municipal Administration and Urban Development minister P Narayana said that the objective of the State government to eliminate the menace of dumping yards in all the ULBs going to be realised once the proposed waste-to-energy plants become operational.
Speaking to media persons at the Interim Government Complex (IGC) at Velagapudi on Thursday, Narayana said as per the directions of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, they have taken up the idea of setting up of waste-to-energy plants under Swachh Andhra concept and will complete all 11 plants by January 2018.
Stating that some environmental issues came in the way of expediting the works of waste-to-energy plants, he said, now all such problems have been cleared and the firms that got tenders are purchasing boilers and other machinery required for the waste-to-energy plants. By March 29, the process of purchasing machinery will be completed and the construction activity will gain momentum as lands have already been allocated for the purpose, the minister said.
Earlier, Narayana held a review meeting with the officials and representatives of those firms that came forward for setting up of waste-to-energy plants.