3 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Puducherry launches Rs 110 crore integrated solid waste management project
PUDUCHERRY: The Union Territory is poised to roll out a comprehensive Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) project for its urban areas, with a pilot phase commencing on June 1. Full-scale operations will follow from July 1, to be executed by Green Warrior Agency (GWA), which has been awarded the contract.
The new initiative marks the end of services rendered by Swachhata Corporation, whose contract concludes on June 30. GWA will be responsible for the entire waste management cycle, including door-to-door collection, segregation, transportation, processing, composting, recycling, and biogas generation.
Funded under the Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the `110-crore project includes a Central capital subsidy of Rs 18.76 crore. It seeks to overhaul the existing system by phasing out community bins and adopting a decentralised, household-level waste collection model.
The trial run will be launched in Chief Minister N Rangasamy's Thattanchavady constituency and at the Raj Bhavan, aimed at acclimatising residents to the new waste handling procedures.
Speaking to TNIE, Director of Local Administration S Shakthivel said the Kurumbapet dump yard (KDY) is being readied with advanced infrastructure for processing various waste streams, including electronic waste. A 10.5-acre portion of the site has been earmarked for infrastructure development.
A 60-tonne-per-day pyrolysis plant is being established at the site to produce 12 to 15 tonnes of Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) daily. Additionally, a 100-tonne-per-day Compressed Biogas (CBG) facility, costing `25 crore, is expected to yield 2.5 tonnes of biogas each day.
Mechanised systems will handle segregation to facilitate composting and recycling of plastics, wood, and other recoverables. The facility will also manufacture paver blocks, with all end products marketed to industries as part of a circular economy model. GWA will be remunerated at `3,300 per tonne of waste processed.
Spanning 23 acres, the Kurumbapet yard is also undergoing legacy waste clearance. Since 2021, Zigma Global Environment Solutions, based in Erode, has removed 10.5 lakh tonnes of legacy waste, reclaiming 14 acres in the process. A resource park and testing laboratory are currently being set up at the site, which will also accommodate the relocated solid waste management wing of the Local Administration Department.
Puducherry generates approximately 350 tonnes of solid waste daily, with an additional 100 to 120 tonnes coming from surrounding commune panchayats. While the ISWM initiative is expected to significantly enhance cleanliness and environmental sustainability, officials admit that achieving seamless door-to-door collection across all urban areas will be a major operational challenge.
