In a bid to generate energy from waste and to establish a garbage-free Tuticorin, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has embarked on a solid waste management project to convert biodegradable waste into methane and organic manure.
J. Daniel Chellappa, senior scientist at the Technical Coordination Wing of BARC, paid a visit to Tuticorin on Saturday and took stock of a compost yard at Tharuvaikulam.
For biogas production from waste, BARC had introduced Nisargruna technology, through which expertise could be shared with stakeholders.
Primarily, organic manure could be derived from waste, and methane gas would be a by-product from biodegradable waste, he said.
About three to four cylinders of methane gas and 70 to 100 kilograms of organic manure could be produced from one tonne of waste every day. Electricity generated from one tonne of waste could be used to burn 50 to 70 LED street lights.
Mr.Chellappa urged the people to segregate degradable and non-degradable wastes and dump them in separate bins on their premises as well as in public places.
Fifteen districts in the State had expressed interest in establishing Nisargruna plants.
Fifty such plants, with a capacity to process three to four tonnes of waste each per day, were expected to be set up in the State next year through the DRDA.
S. Maharajan, president, Tharuvaikulam panchayat, said around two tonnes of waste was being dumped at Tharuvaikulam compost yard every day, and said electricity could be produced from that for street lights.
Project Director of District Rural Development Agency J. Bella, who accompanied Mr.Chellappa during the inspection, said under the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan Scheme solid and liquid waste management programmes were being carried out.
Earlier, the DRDA officials from Virudhunagar, Sivaganga, Madurai, Ramanathapuram and Tuticorin attended a meeting chaired by the scientist to analyse area-wise waste characterisation in their districts.
