The capital city is banking on two temporary projects — mobile incinerator and baling system — to haul itself out of the garbage crisis.
The mobile incinerator was envisaged months ago but the process dragged on. Then the Small Industries Development Corporation floated tenders for the project five months ago and Chinthan, a Bangalore-based company, was finally chosen.
“The incinerator is scheduled to be commissioned by October 2. We will purchase just one machine now,” said George Chakacherry, executive director of the State government’s Suchitwa Mission, which is implementing both the projects. Once the machine is proved effective, more would be put in place. He said the machine, which could be taken to various locations, could deal with 15-20 tonnes of garbage a day. Predictably, Chala market, where the garbage pile-up is alarmingly huge, is to be first home for the incinerator.
How baling works
The proposal for a baling unit was considered earlier this year, but the project was thwarted by the huge charges demanded by the agencies. The tenders were floated a second time two weeks ago and two agencies were shortlisted.
The baling process, as the name suggests, entails squeezing and compacting waste products into blocks and reducing their mass by 20 per cent.
“The machine will draw out all the moisture and this tightly wrapped mass will not permit entry of air and will keep out insects and other organisms,” said Mr. Chakacherry.
The mass would be stored till an effective mechanism for its disposal is worked out, he said.
Concerns
Corporation officials are sceptical about these projects, raising concerns of practicability.
They had pinned their hopes on transporting garbage to Parassala for railway platform construction but the all-party meeting convened by A.T. George, MLA, put paid to those hopes.
Rider
Moreover, these projects come with a bold rider — that they are temporary set-ups until the new waste-treatment plant gets installed in the city.
