Biogas plants at Rajaji Nagar, Kannammoola
While it is being trashed for not setting up a biogas plant in its own compound to set an example, the City Corporation is moving ahead with the plan to put up plants at two slums - Rajaji Nagar and Kannammoola. The biogas plants will come up under a Kerala Sustainable Urban Development Project (KSUDP) scheme for introducing solid waste management mechanism.
The Corporation Council that met last week had approved the setting up of plants at Rajaji Nagar (Chenkalchoolah), Kannammoola Colony, Poojapura Mahila Mandiram and Thycaud Government Hospital. According to Health Standing Committee Chairperson Pushpalatha, the estimate for the biogas plants to be set up in colonies was being worked out. This would be passed on to the KSUDP for processing, she said.
Meanwhile, the Corporation has already kicked off the construction of biogas plants at Manacaud TTI School, Cotton Hill GHSS, Kalipankulam market and Pattom GHSS. A KSUDP official said that the works at the schools are progressing well, but the proposal for the plants in the slums had not yet reached them.
‘’We have nearly ` 5 crore for the solid waste management project under KSUDP. So, we are accepting with open arms whoever comes forward with a proposal,’’ Pushpalatha said.
The idea of a biogas plant at Rajaji Nagar was mooted by the ward councillor representing the area following the large-scale dumping of garbage into the water body here. The area had turned a dumping yard ever since garbage collection had come to a standstill.
According to sources, the initial fervour to set up a plant on the Corporation compound had died down following land issues. The place identified for the plant has already been eyed for constructing a building to expand the main office. Besides, the changes being planned once the new memorial gate is ready leaves little under-utilised space for the plant, an official said.
However, the Opposition rubbished these claims, saying that the plant does not require acres of land, but only the will on the part of the ruling members.