VISAKHAPATNAM: The government will launch a project to generate power from garbage at Kapulupada dumping yard and the existing 100-acre yard will be developed either as an international park or a golf course, announced HRD minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao.
The minister, who visited the dumpyard Friday, asserted that it would not be shifted, but its extent would be brought down to about 25 acres. He also clarified that the neighbouring villages would not face any environmental issues.
It may be noted that the villagers in the neighbourhood had been facing health problems due to unmindful dumping of hazardous waste by GVMC, ever since the dump yard was shifted from Old Town to Kapuluppada. Even as they demanded the immediate shifting of the yard, GVMC and district administration officials had been racking their brains for the past three years to find an amicable solution. As part of it, proposals were made recently to generate power from the waste using the European Plasma Technology like in Delhi.
GVMC commissioner Pravin Kumar proposed to bring down the extend of dumping yard from 100-acre to 25 acres and generate power from the debris. After burning down the waste, the ash generated can be used as manure, to make light weight bricks and for land filling, he suggested. Ganta Srinivasa Rao said that the Union government was preparing a detailed project report (DPR) in this regard and the works would begin once the DPR gets ready. There were also proposals to set up power plants under PPP, he said.
Vizag would soon be developed as a tourist hub and more IT companies, film studios and mega shopping malls will come up in the city, the minister claimed. The government was also seriously working towards constructing an international airport here, he added.
Later, the minister laid foundation stone for a drinking water project and laying of roads to Chakirevukonda area near Adavivaram for which the GVMC took up the works at a cost of `3.36 cr.
He also directed the commissioner to complete the works to launch the BRTS at the earliest for trial run.