TIRUCHY: Machines in most micro compost centres (MCCs) in Tiruchy city are facing frequent machine breakdowns every year and are operating with inadequate maintenance, raising concerns over inefficient solid waste management.
Several centres are either non-functional due to faulty equipment or depend on manual operations, causing long delays in producing organic manure and affecting the processing of biodegradable waste. To decentralise solid waste management and avoid dumping unsorted waste at a centralised location, the Tiruchy corporation introduced MCCs under its Solid Waste Management scheme in 2017.
A total of 38 centres were set up across the city. Sanitation workers collect waste door-to-door and segregate it into biodegradable and non-biodegradable components at these centres. Biodegradable waste is used to produce organic manure, while non-biodegradable waste is sold to scrap dealers. Each centre employs at least 10 sanitation workers, and the city generates around 400 tonnes of waste daily from approximately 2.5 lakh households. Initially, the corporation directly maintained the centres, but in 2023, operations were outsourced to a private company.
However, the shredding machines in these centres frequently break down due to belt, grinding and other electrical problems. Repairs are often delayed for months, particularly during the rainy season, when most machines develop faults. Currently, at least 20 centres are operating with damaged equipment, forcing workers to manually wet and process waste, which is slow and inefficient. In some cases, waste is allegedly transported directly to the Ariyamangalam dumpyard instead of being processed at MCCs, sources said.
The issue has been raised several times at council meetings. Ward 23 councillor K Suresh Kumar told TNIE, “Minor problems are not addressed promptly, which leads to frequent machine breakdowns. Manual processing of waste is slow and does not consistently produce quality manure. Many centres have machines that get rusted due to inadequate maintenance. In fact, the machine at the centre in my ward is currently not working. The centres need modernisation, and there should be regular technical support and timely repairs to ensure smooth operations.”
Another councillor said, “Without proper maintenance and timely repairs, the machine at the Panjakarai Road centre has been non-functional and rusted for months. Workers are manually segregating the waste without proper safety equipment.”
When contacted, a corporation official said, “We will include the machines in annual maintenance schedules. We also plan to give contracts for regular maintenance.”