The Chennai Corporation is planning to commission decentralised waste processing plants in all the 200 wards, processing at least 15 per cent of municipal solid waste generated in the city.
Starting June, at least 35 locations will have new micro-level waste processing plants, generating biogas using 50 tonnes of municipal solid waste per day.
128 plants functioning
“The Chennai Corporation collects 5,000 tonnes of waste every day. At least 15 per cent of the waste is likely to be processed at the micro-level waste processing plants. Identification of land for the plants is under way,” said an official.
The civic body has already commissioned 128 ordinary compost plants which process 70 tonnes of waste per day. Three vermicompost plants have also started operations. As many as 30 biogas plants are processing 15 tonnes of waste per day. Five waste-to-energy plants have also been commissioned to process eight tonnes of waste per day.
Identification of land for dumping the garbage is a major challenge faced by the civic body.
Many of the decentralised processing plants are located in zones such as Tiruvottiyur, Manali, Madhavaram and Perungudi. “Commercial establishments have agreed to provide the biodegradable waste for the plants. We are also creating awareness among residents’ associations,” an official said.
“Some of the facilities in areas such as Balakrishnapuram and Kannan Colony are successful. Segregation of waste in many of the localities remains a challenge,” said an official.
Pointing to the proposal to develop 32 MW waste-to-energy plants in Kodungaiyur and 30 MW waste-to-energy plants in Perungudi, the officials said the local waste processing plants will continue to operate after commissioning of the facilities.
The local waste processing plants will be located near parks, burialgrounds and other government lands in the vicinity of waste collection points in all the 200 wards. “Resource recovery centres estimated at ₹2.25 crore will also be commissioned at 14 locations shortly,” said an official.
