Waste-to-energy plant planned in Ongole cluster

DPR has been prepared to generate energy from 200 tonnes of waste

Better amenities:The civic body on a Clean Ongole mission. —Photo: Kommuri Srinivas

A waste-to-energy plant is being planned in Ongole by pooling together waste generated from three other towns in Prakasam district.

A detailed project report had been prepared by a Delhi-based firm IPE Global Private Limited to generate energy from 200 tonnes of waste generated in the Ongole cluster comprising also Kandukur, Chimakurthy and Addanki towns on a scientific basis, Ongole Municipal Commissioner S.Venkatakrishna told The Hindu .

Project cost

While the State government will contribute 25 per cent of the project cost, the rest will be borne by the Centre, he adds. The OMC has achieved 100 per cent collection of 90 tonnes of garbage at the doorsteps of the people and produced two tonnes of vermi-compost each day.

Highlighting the efforts being made by the OMC to meet the Swatchh Bharat Mission's target in solid waste management, Mr Venkatakrishna told The Hindu that Rs. 100 penalty imposed on those littering from February 1 had a salutary effect.

Carrot and stick policy

As a result, the OMC could collect the 90 tonnes of waste generated in the city, including 70 tonnes of wet waste every day at source itself, he adds while taking a look at the carrot and stick policy adopted by the OMC to curb littering in public places and end open-defecation in public places.

About 70 per cent of the waste generated in the city is processed now to earn an income of Rs. 0.65 lakh per month, he explains, adding the OMC also earned Rs. one lakh per month through collection of user charges from bulk producers of garbage, who now handover to the waste to sanitary workers every night giving a go-by to the old habit of throwing it on the roadside.

He says imposition of a fine of Rs. 50 on those found defecating in open places proved to be a deterrent.

Noting that a section of the people continue to urinate in public places, he says people are being advised through public address system to urinate free of cost in the public toilets.

The OMC has arranged for indication boards with arrow marks on nearest public toilets and also constructed 11 bio-toilets at busy places, including bus station, Rangarayuducheruvu and Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), for the benefit of floating population.

Of the 3,144 individual sanitary latrines(ISLs) sanctioned in the city at a cost of Rs. 15,000 each, 1,226 ISLs were completed and payment made after geo-tagging them, he says.

The rest of the toilets are in different stages of construction.