COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) has sent a proposal to the Commissionerate of Municipal Administration (CMA) and state finance committee seeking allocation of Rs 54 crore to take up the second phase of biomining in the Vellalore dump yard. The second phase involves clearing about 10 lakh cubic metres of legacy waste in the yard.
There are 100 wards in five zones of the city. Around 1,100 tonnes of garbage is collected and dumped at the Vellalore dump yard which is spread across 180 acres on a daily basis. As legacy wastes kept piling, people living in the vicinity of the yard complained of health issues and foul smell, prompting social activists to file a case against the civic body in the court and the National Green Tribunal (NGT).
Based on directions from both the Madras High Court and NGT, the civic body began clearing the legacy wastes through the bio-mining project. Phase 1 of the project was taken up at Rs 60 crore to clear around 9.5 lakh cubic metres of legacy waste. Now, the civic body is planning to kick start the second phase.
Speaking to TNIE, CCMC commissioner M Prathap said, “Of the 180 acres of the yard, waste was dumped in 120 acres. We have cleared waste in about 45 acres, amounting to 8.5 lakh cubic metres, in phase 1 of the biomining project.”
“We have sent a proposal to the government to start phase 2 of the bio-mining project. It will be carried out at an estimated cost of Rs 54 crore under the SBM (Swachh Bharat Mission) funds. Once we receive the approval from the state finance committee and funds, we shall start phase 2. About 10 lakh cubic metres of legacy wastes will be cleared in phase 2,” he added.