CHENNAI: Reclamation of Pallikaranai Marshland from toxic landfills may become a reality soon. Greater Chennai Corporation is likely to begin biomining of adjacent Perungudi dump yard by May end.
“Rs 350 crore has been sanctioned and tenders will be floated by April end. Once the contractors are finalised, work is expected to begin by May end,’’ said a top corporation official.
This move will help in reclaiming about 250 acres of the lost water body. In this, 150 acres already belongs to the corporation, in which 50 acres will be kept for dumping biomined garbage. In December, the civic body made a proposal to Chief Secretary to biomine both Kodungaiyur and Perungudi landfills at a cost of Rs 1,250 crore.
However, as Kodungaiyur being the city’s largest dump yard, it requires a larger financial assistance of Rs 800 crore and thus the civic body has decided to go ahead with Perungudi dumpyard, for which financial aid has come.
While the wet waste from the landfills will be processed in four bio-CNG plants which are to come up at Chetpet, Madhavaram, Pallikaranai and Sholinganallur, dry-waste such as plastic and rubber will be processed using shredding machines. The shredders will cut down particles into powderlike substances and send it to cement factories or use it for road-relaying purpose, officials said.