THANJAVUR: Following a break in work for monsoon, the bio-mining project at the Corporation’s compost yard has again hit a roadblock, this time due to malfunctioning equipment. There has been a 15-day delay after the motor of a piece of equipment failed and had to be taken away for repairs by the contractor, a Corporation engineer told TNIE. Work is likely to resume in a day or two.
The project is being carried out a cost of Rs 14.9 crore and is part of the Smart City initiative. Under the project an estimated 2.3 lakh cubic metres of garbage accumulated over decades are to be segregated and sent for disposal.
The work should have been completed in six months from the date of commencement and finished by January.
The project had kindled the expectations of residents in and around the 28-acre compost yard in Thanjavur. It has been a scene of frequent fires and emits an unbearable stench. Work for the bio-mining project commenced in August 2019, though the tender for the same was floated in February that year. A delay in getting an electricity connection is one of the factors responsible for the work to have started late.
Residents of Chekkadi, where the compost yard is located, and nearby areas like Jebamalaipuram were affected by the compost yard. The black water flowing out of the yard where garbage has accumulated over decades serves as a breeding ground for mosquitoes. The accumulated garbage mounds also emit a strong stench, raising health concerns.
Work on the project had to be halted during monsoon as officials said garbage would become soaked and be impossible to segregate. According to figures available, of the total of 2.3 lakh cubic metres of garbage to be segregated through equipment, including trommels, vibro separators, air density separators, conveyors and magnetic separators, only 18,000 cubic metres have been segregated so far. This accounts for a mere 8 per cent of the total waste.
Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation trade union leader D Mathivanan said the city depot is located adjacent to the compost yard and the work should be expedited so those living or working nearby would get some relief. The aggregates from the solid waste would be sold to cement, power generation and pipe-making companies and steel plants. Manure from the residual waste is planned to be sold to sugarcane farmers.
Around 120 tonnes of waste are collected daily from the 51 wards of the city.