The proposed 35-tonne solid waste treatment plant at Chala will produce 3.2 megawatt of power daily, which will be available to the State at Rs.7.90 a unit, perhaps the lowest such price in the country.
This was stated at a press conference here on Wednesday by Minister for Urban Affairs Manjalamluzhy Ali. The foundation stone for the Rs.65-crore plant, being constructed by the U.S.-based Loro Group, would be laid by the end of November 2012. The plant is expected to begin operations by March 2013.
No odour, no leachate
The plant would be designed in such a way as to not emit odour. There would be no leachate or other residual waste, save fly ash, after the processing of solid waste. Garbage would be taken to the plant in covered trucks which would then be hosed down before leaving the facility.
“Chala would be our flagship plant, one we will use to prove that such plants can be set up anywhere and that they can be operated efficiently and in an eco-friendly manner,” Mr. Ali said.
In the beginning the plant would process only the solid waste generated in the Chala area.
This plant would be set up in the public-private partnership mode and would be run by the Loro Group for 20 years before being handed over to the government.
The company would be required to make a caution deposit of Rs.50 lakh and to pay an annuity of Rs.7.2 lakh to the government.
Two more such plants would be set up in the city. Between them, the three plants would be eventually process almost all the waste produced in the city.
Collection of garbage from homes may recommence next year once all three plants were up and running, Mr. Ali added.
