
Tenders floated for Phase III of bio-mining at Ariyamangalam
A study by experts from National Institute of Technology, Tiruchi, has estimated that the Ariyamangalam dump has about 7.7 lakh cubic metres of accumulated waste including the waste below the surface level and legacy waste. Following this, the civic body initiated steps to take up the phase III of bio-mining. About 7 lakh tonnes of waste will be removed in the final phase.
The project will be implemented at a cost ₹40.85 crore sanctioned under Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0. The process of clearing garbage through scientific recycling will be executed within two years from the commencement of work. The project work is expected to commence over the next month after the contract is awarded to the successful bidder, a senior official said.
According to sources, waste amounting to around 11 lakh cubic metres had been cleared in phases I and II of biomining. In the first phase of biomining launched in January 2019, over 7.6 lakh cubic metre of waste was removed from the dump yard at a cost of about ₹49 crore.
Phase II of the project was taken up at ₹25 crore to clear over 3.3 lakh cubic metre of waste under the Smart Cities Mission initiative. As of now, the Corporation has reclaimed around 40 acres of the 47.7 acre under the project.
About 1.95 lakh metric tonnes of refuse-derived fuel (RDF) generated during Phases I and II of biomining was transported to various cement factories for using it as a substitute for fossil fuel in factory kilns.
Meanwhile, measures to set up a bio-CNG plant, an automated material recovery facility centre, a construction and demolition waste recycling plant, and a poultry waste recycling unit at the dump yard are underway.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
NIT Rourkela team secures patent for biofilm tech
Rourkela: A research team from the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Rourkela, has secured a patent from the central govt's patent office for developing a bacterial biofilm technology that offers a low-cost, eco-friendly solution to one of industrial pollution's most stubborn challenges—phenanthrene degradation. Phenanthrene, a toxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), is a common contaminant in industrial wastewater, stemming from fossil fuel combustion, chemical manufacturing, and oil spills. Traditional methods to tackle PAHs, such as chemical oxidation and soil excavation, are both costly and risk causing secondary pollution. "Our biofilm is compatible with existing biofilm reactors used in municipal and industrial wastewater treatment facilities, particularly those targeting hydrocarbon-based pollutants. This patented technology also opens up opportunities for collaboration with the petrochemical industry to promote sustainable pollution control practices," aid professor Surajit Das of the department of life science at NIT Rourkela. Kumari Uma Mahto, a research graduate at NIT Rourkela, highlighted the broader impact of this technology, stating, "Our development can significantly mitigate the impact of industrial oil spills, where phenanthrene and other PAHs pose serious threats to marine ecosystems. It will also benefit regions with high industrial activity and inadequate pollution control infrastructure." Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Raksha Bandhan wishes , messages and quotes !


The Hindu
12 hours ago
- The Hindu
Thiruvananthapuram Corporation's climate budget outlines projects to reduce the city's carbon footprint
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday (August 9) released the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation's climate budget, which outlines sustainable projects to be taken up to reduce the city's carbon footprint. The corporation became the first local body in the State to have a budget focussed on addressing climate change and related issues. Mr. Vijayan said that the Corporation's climate budget which raises awareness on ways to overcome the climate-change related challenges can be a model for other local bodies. 'Although climate change-induced disasters are being witnessed the world over, there is still no united response at the international level to fight it. The happenings at the UN's COP 29 Climate Change conference last year are proof of this. No clear guidelines came out of the conference. Such decisions are also not to be expected in the near future. In such a scenario, it is important to not wait for such directives and evolve our own methods at the local level to address climate change and issues that arise due to it. We are working towards turning Kerala into a carbon neutral State by 2050. The Thiruvananthapuram Corporation's initiatives are part of this,' he said. He said that the initiatives that the Corporation has already taken up are a good first step for Thiruvananthapuram, which is one of the fastest developing cities in Kerala. Mayor Arya Rajendran, who presided over the event, said that the comprehensive climate budget is a continuation of the various steps the Corporation has taken in recent years. 'The Corporation purchased 115 electric buses for the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC). We also bought electric auto rickshaws for beneficiaries from the below poverty line families. Since streetlights are one of the biggest sources of carbon emissions, over the past few years we shifted gradually to LED streetlights. For collection of waste, we are in the process of providing 100 electric vehicles to cover all the wards. The Corporation has also installed solar panels on the top of government buildings in the city, with a total capacity of 17,000 Kilowatt. In addition to this, we have also decided to provide ₹10,000 subsidy for installing solar panels in households and for purchasing electric two wheelers,' said Ms. Rajendran. On the occasion, over 7,000 school students from the city got together at the Putharikandam maithanam to make seed balls, mixing mud and seeds, which will be spread in open spaces all over the city as part of a mass greening activity.


Indian Express
2 days ago
- Indian Express
‘Employer's discretion ends where employee's dignity begins,' Supreme Court reinstates TSRTC driver prematurely retired over colour blindness
Stating that 'an employer's discretion ends where the employee's dignity begins,' the Supreme Court recently overturned a high court division bench ruling and ordered the reinstatement of a driver from the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC), who was prematurely retired after being diagnosed with colour blindness. The court also awarded 25 per cent of the arrears of salary, allowances, and benefits from the date of termination until reinstatement. The TSRTC was also directed to reckon the intervening period of termination as 'continuous service'. The court's decision, delivered by a bench comprising Justices J K Maheshwari and Aravind Kumar on August 1, not only vindicated the appellant, Ch Joseph, but also laid down a crucial precedent regarding an employer's constitutional obligation to accommodate employees who acquire a disability during service. The case stems from a routine medical enquiry, which declared Joseph, appointed as a driver in 2014, medically unfit for his position due to colour blindness. The TSRTC subsequently issued orders retiring him from service, while rejecting his request for alternate employment. Though he relied on a 1979 Memorandum of Settlement (MOS), which stated that the 'drivers' would be provided with alternate employment, the Telangana High Court gave its verdict in favour of the Corporation, directing Joseph to make representation for seeking his benefits. In his appeal before the Supreme Court, Joseph contended that the 1979 MOS between the then-undivided Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) and the recognised unions is binding on the TSRTC, and the appellant, being a driver of the Corporation, was entitled to alternate employment. He said the high court failed to appreciate that his case falls within the category of people who have acquired the disability during service and thus would be entitled to alternate employment. The counsel for TSRTC informed the court that the 1979 clause was replaced by another clause in 1986 MOS, which said a possible suitable alternate job will be identified to the extent possible, and in case it is not possible, additional monetary benefit will be given. The TSRTC rejected Joseph's claim for an alternate job as he was an illiterate person without a qualification. Among several other grounds to set aside the high court order, the Supreme Court noted that he was prematurely retired from his service without any 'demonstrable effort' by the Corporation to identify or assess the feasibility of alternative employment, despite the appellant having expressed willingness to be reassigned to a non-driving post. The apex court said that colour blindness, though a disqualification for driving, does not render the appellant unfit to serve in any other non-driving role. The court also said that the 1979 MOS clause that the Corporation claimed to have replaced 'remains valid and enforceable' and added that no internal circular can override the terms of such a binding settlement. The Supreme Court also noted that retirement on medical grounds must be a measure of last resort, only after the employer exhausts all reasonable avenues for redeployment. 'This principle is inherent in the concept of 'reasonable accommodation', which is now recognised as an aspect of substantive equality under Articles 14 and 21,' the court stated, adding that the failure to explore alternate jobs was not merely a procedural lapse but a 'substantive illegality that violates the Appellant's right to livelihood and equal treatment.' Further, the court stated, 'Our concern is not confined to the facts of the present case but extends to the systemic risk that employers, particularly public sector entities, may attempt to bypass their obligation to offer alternate employment by drawing rigid distinctions between recognised and unrecognised disabilities under statutory frameworks.' The court said that the obligation to 'reasonably accommodate' such employees is not just a matter of administrative grace, but a constitutional and statutory imperative, rooted in the principles of non-discrimination, dignity, and equal treatment. The judgment added that the court was not crossing a line by intervening when an employee is removed from service for a condition he did not choose, and where viable alternatives are ignored, the court is upholding one drawn by the Constitution itself. 'The employer's discretion ends where the employee's dignity begins,' it concluded. Rahul V Pisharody is an Assistant Editor with the Indian Express Online and has been reporting from Telangana on various issues since 2019. Besides a focused approach to big news developments, Rahul has a keen interest in stories about Hyderabad and its inhabitants and looks out for interesting features on the city's heritage, environment, history culture etc. His articles are straightforward and simple reads in sync with the context. Rahul started his career as a journalist in 2011 with The New Indian Express and worked in different roles at the Hyderabad bureau for over 8 years. As Deputy Metro Editor, he was in charge of the Hyderabad bureau of the newspaper and coordinated with the team of district correspondents, centres and internet desk for over three years. A native of Palakkad in Kerala, Rahul has a Master's degree in Communication (Print and New Media) from the University of Hyderabad and a Bachelor's degree in Business Management from PSG College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore. Long motorcycle rides and travel photography are among his other interests. ... Read More