As a step to further push decentralised garbage management programme, the city Corporation will set up 18 more biogas plants in schools and markets within its jurisdiction.
The civic body had floated e-tenders on Wednesday inviting firms to supply biogas plants having capacity to process 500 to 2,000 kilograms of waste per day, Chairperson standing committee for Health S. Puspalatha told The Hindu .
The markets at Kinavoor, Elipode, Poonthura, Beemapally, Vallakadavu, and Corporation-run schools at Nedungad, Konchiravila, Kattela, Vattiyoorkavu, Thycaud, and Ponnara were identified for setting up the plants.
The councillors were asked to identify locations for putting up the plants in other places, she said.
The establishment of plants would cost around Rs.4 crore. Suchitwa Mission had promised to sanction part of this amount, she added.
Since the closure of Vilappilsala plant, the civic body had been pushing the case for setting up biogas plants in public places and also encouraging public to adopt biogas as a method to dispose of waste.
ProjectThe civic body had now formulated a project to install 62 high capacity biogas plants in the city and had sought Rs.7. 25 crore from the State government for the project.
The success of the biogas plant at Palayam, which was the second one being established in a public place after the one-tonne plant at Sreekaryam, prompted the civic body to aggressively push for having such plants in public places, she said.
The plant generated 5 kilowatts of electricity, and helped in powering 15 halogen lamps, 30 compact fluorescent lamps installed in various parts of the market, and the two LED-powered high-mast lamps.
So far, plants had been set up in five markets, two hospitals, four schools, and two open places, Ms. Pushpalatha said.
