Only 12 per cent city waste recycled

The city generates 3,800 metric tonnes of municipal solid waste daily but just 12 per cent is recycled or recovered. Segregation of garbage is practically zero, so is the scientific disposal of it, as per a study taken up by the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI).

The survey commissioned by GHMC showed that door to door collection was 72 per cent; garbage collection efficiency was 80 per cent and citizens' complaints getting redressed was 75 per cent, said Additional Commissioner (Health & Sanitation) S. Aleem Basha.

At a workshop organised to convince corporators on the necessity of the Integrated Municipal Solid Waste Management Project, Mr. Basha also pointed out that the A.P. Pollution Control Board had issued several notices for failure to comply with the MSW rules. It was mandatory to do so after the Supreme Court directive in framing the municipal solid waste (management and handling) rules. GHMC was non compliant in setting up waste processing and disposal facilities, improvement of existing landfill sites or identifying landfill sites for future use, waste segregation, etc.

It was totally compliant with respect to just a few aspects like covering transport vehicles, dumps away from airport and so on, he said.

Close to Rs. 200 crore each year would be paid to Ramky Enviro Engineers for the project other than the capital cost. It was calculated on the basis of Rs. 1,431 per ton tipping fee. About 2,400 metric tonnes garbage generated daily is to be handed over with 700 metric tonnes each reserved for the now defunct Selco power plant at Shadnagar and upcoming RDF plant at Bhongir.

Expensive project

Break up is as follows: Rs. 572 per ton for primary and secondary collection as well as transportation of waste to the transfer station (40 per cent), Rs. 287 per ton for transfer station management and transportation of waste from the station to the processing facilities (20 per cent) and Rs. 572 per ton for treatment and disposal (40 per cent).

Contract period for the concessionaire is 25 years and a further period of 15 years towards maintenance of the landfill.

An Independent Engineer or IE (currently Investment Corporation of A.P. – INCAP) will review the activities associated with design, construction, operation and maintenance of the project, he explained.

The project, expected to be on course soon, will initially be taken up in east and west zones. Once the IE assesses the performance was satisfactory, permit will be given to other zones in a phased manner, Mr. Basha said.