By diverting food and meat waste to biomethanation plants here, the Salem Corporation is saving on electricity bills and preventing waste from getting dumped at Chettichavadi dump yard.
The Salem Corporation in 2017 built a biomethanation plant in Vaikkal Pattarai here at ₹ 90 lakh, with the Corporation spending ₹9 lakh and the State Government ₹ 81 lakh.
According to Corporation officials, the plant can process up to five tonnes of food waste and it could generate up to 400 units of power from the waste. The power generated is used by the Corporation to power a 10hp motor of an overhead water tank here. When required, the power is also used to operate motors at a sanitary block and animal birth control centre nearby.
Corporation Commissioner R.Sadheesh said, “food and vegetable waste collected from market and residences nearby are used at the plant. A generator room has been set up at the plant and the gas generated is converted to power using the generator. We have also placed a proposal to Tangedco to power 197 street lights in the area using the plant and connecting the power generated to the grid. It will further help save on electricity bills.”
The officials said that about ₹15,000 was saved on monthly electricity bills.
The Corporation has also set up a similar plant at the gas crematorium in Sevappettai at ₹45 lakh. Fish and meat waste collected from the market here is used to generate gas at the plant which is used to cremate bodies here. According to officials, nearly one tonne of fish and chicken waste is utilised every day at the plant and on an average, four to five bodies are cremated every day using the gas.
Mr. Sadheesh said besides diversion of waste from Chettichavadi, it had also prevented clogging of waste in drains at the fish market area.
