Burhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike
has found a place to dispose 1,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste
(MSW) generated in Bangalore City. The integrated MSW Processing and
Disposal plant set up by Terra Firm in association with the Palike near
Doddaballapur has begun to function. The plant received first load of
garbage on Tuesday.
A team of reporters who visited the plant on Wednesday witnessed the
procedure followed to process the garbage. Trucks entering the plant
pass through the weigh-bridge. After dumping garbage at the designated
place they pass through the weigh bridge once again to enable the staff
at the plant to calculate the amount of garbage carried by each truck.
The operator has bought 120 acres of land for the plant. It has set up
garbage pits to collect municipal waste. Bitumen sheets have been used
to cover the ground to avoid leachet mixing up with ground water.
Recyclable items will be segregated from garbage. Chemicals will be
sprayed to avoid breeding of mosquitoes and birds.
Special Commissioner B S Ram Prasad said Palike has began processing of
garbage with 50 trucks. Gradually it will be increased to 300 trucks a
day. The plant has the capacity to take 1,000 tonnes a day. Using
municipal waste the operator (Terra Firm) will generate 1.5 MW of power
and compost. "As per the agreement between the operator will be paid
tipping fee of Rs 66 per tonne of garbage. The operator has the liberty
to sell the end product", he said.
Once the pit is filled up completely it will be covered by black
plastic sheets. Gas generated due to heat will be collected through
plastic pipes and the same is utilised to generate power. Site Engineer
Swamy said the plant can generate about 1.5 MW of power. The plant
requires about 150 kw of power to run the show. The remaining will be
sold.
Composting unit
The unit also has a composting unit. The final rejects will go to
landfill. "Only eight per cent of the total garbage generated go to the
landfill. However, the rest is utilised to generate power and
composting", Ram Prasad said.
The Palike will fix GPS (Geo-positioning system) apparatus in all 400
trucks disposing the garbage.
Joint Commissioner (Health) U A Vasanth Rao said "GPS apparatus helps
the Palike officers to track the vehicle. A camera placed close to the
weigh bridge will capture pictures, which can be viewed sitting in the
Palike head office. This also will help contractors get their bills
cleared without delay"
M Ramesh, a garbage contractor, appreciated the fool-proof system
introduced by the Palike.
"This will definitely help us. Along with the Palike officers we can
also trace where our vehicle is through the GPS", he said.
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