The Chennai Corporation proposes to produce power from waste at its Perungudi and Kodungaiyur dump yards. Besides power generation, organic compost and refuse-derived fuel would also be made.

Addressing a workshop on municipal solid waste organised here on Monday by Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, Environment Minister B.V. Ramana said that the civic body would soon invite expression of interest for the project at Kodungaiyur.

Through such projects, the government intends to reduce the load of the dump yards, particularly the one in Perungudi, which is on the Pallikaranai marsh.

It would also be a scientific method of removing the accumulated waste and hence limit the land filling to minimum, the Minister said.

Similar projects would also be considered for other municipal solid waste dump yards across the State, he added.

Mr.Ramana said that Coimbatore and Salem Municipal Corporations had been able to implement solid waste processing facilities. The Chennai Corporation had, however, not been able to process the collected waste.

TNPCB Member Secretary K. Karthikeyan said that there were technologies to produce power from unsegregated waste. “In Pune, they are producing one MW of power from 70 tonnes, which means there is a possibility of producing 21 MW each in Perungudi and Kodungaiyur dump yards. The million tonnes of garbage could be biomined and over a period of time there would be no waste in the yards,” he added.

Environment Secretary C.V.Shankar said that the city will soon get 50 plastic collection centres at a cost of Rs.8 lakh each. He said local bodies could give some kind of incentive to residents to segregate garbage at home.

Protestors arrested

Over 50 persons, including Perambur MLA A. Soundararajan, who participated in a protest in Ezhil Nagar on Monday demanding relocation of the Kodungaiyur dumping ward, were arrested.

Police said the group, including residents of the area, said that the dumping yard was affecting their living conditions.

They were arrested after they tried to sit on a fast. The protesters were released in the evening, police added.

Traffic in the area was thrown hit for over an hour due to the agitation.