ERODE: Indiscriminate dumping of domestic and industrial waste on the landfills near Cauvery river continues as the management had turned a blind eye for the last three decades. However, processing of the legacy waste at the Vairapalayam compost yard is in full swing and is expected to be completed by the next year.
After the installation of the bio-mining plant at Vairapalayam, the residents and river could breathe a sigh of relief. The waste is being cleared and processed in these bio-mining plants.
The corporation commissioner M Elangovan said, "By the end of March next year, about 1 lakh cubic metre waste dumped in Cauvery riverside (4 acres) will be fully cleared."
There are as many as 1,50,000 buildings and about 150 tonnes of waste being produced per day. Dumping of waste at the Vairapalayam landfill has caused major environmental threats.
Under the smart city project, the total cost proposed to set up a bio-mine plant is Rs 37.25 crore. Post trials, the machine started working in September.
Till date about 30,000 cubic metres of waste have bee cleared.
The waste is sent through a conveyor belt and is segregated based on - size, recyclable, non-recyclable, bio-degradable and non-bio degradable. The sand is separated from the waste and is sent to make bricks.
The recyclable waste is sent to recycling units and the biodegradable waste are sent to the micro compost unit for converting it into manure.
Clearing of the dump yard would drastically reduce the pollution levels and the land will no more get affected by the waste.
The area can be used for developing other projects, the river would not get polluted with the overflowing of garbage.
Residents living nearby who come to the river to wash clothes and bathe claimed that for the past three months they have been feeling the change, as there is no odour emanating from the river like before.