The Hindu       29.03.2017   

BBMP looks to bury the RDF threat

Plan to sell 20,000 tonnes of refuse-derived fuel to cement companies fails due to transportation cost

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), which is at a loss to dispose of 20,000 tonnes of refuse-derived fuel (RDF) accumulated at all the eight compost-based waste processing plants, now wants to bury the entire stock in an abandoned stone quarry in the city and cap it with mud.

The decision comes in the wake of the BBMP’s failure to get cement factories in Kalaburagi to lift the RDF pile and the two recent fires at Chigarenahalli and Kannahalli compost plants, which caused much damage to the plants and the surrounding villagers. RDF, which is the residue of various types of waste that is shredded and removed of all moisture, can be used to fuel incinerators in cement factories and is highly combustible. As the temperature rises, these massive piles of RDF are a huge fire security risk, one that cement factories are unwilling to take. “Stocking RDF at the compost-based waste processing plants is also a risk to infrastructure worth several hundred crores. We have now decided to bury the entire pile underground in a quarry and [cap it with mud],” said Sarfaraz Khan, Joint Commissioner, Solid Waste Management, BBMP.

By capping the combustible RDF with mud, the threat of a fire will be mitigated. Mr. Khan added that villagers living around the quarry will also not face any odour-related issues. Moreover, the buried RDF cache can be retrieved any day, once the cement factories come around and are ready to lift it. But it is unlikely that the factories will be willing to pay for the transport. With the nearest cement factory at Kalaburagi, nearly 600 km from the city, cement factories are asking for Rs. 2,500 as transportation fee for a tonne of RDF. This would mean a total of around Rs. 5 crore — an amount the BBMP is not ready to shell out. However, Mr. Khan said added that even if the BBMP was prepared to pay the transportation cost, cement factories were facing a slump post-demonetisation and unwilling to take the RDF.

Fires at plants

A massive fire broke out at the MSGP compost-plant in Chigarenahalli near Doddaballapur three days ago, and it took two days to be put out.

The fire was spread over several acres and more than 2,000 tonnes of RDF was burnt down, BBMP officials said.

“Huge piles of RDF at the plant is what is the biggest risk. We have protested several times demanding that it at least not be stocked at the plant, but [our voices] have fallen on deaf ears,”

said B.T. Raghavendra Prasad, a man who lives near the plant.

A fire broke out at the Kannahalli waste processing plant last weekend, even as the plant was being redone after it was almost gutted in a similar fire at the RDF pile last October.

The Hindu       27.03.2017  

Corporation on a larger mission for a greener city

One lakh saplings to be planted under ‘Green Cover for Kochi’ programme

With an eye on earning carbon credit for Kochi, the civic administration will undertake mass planting of saplings in the city. The programme, titled ‘Green Cover for Kochi’, is one of the initiatives announced in the annual Budget of the corporation presented on Saturday. One lake saplings will be planted under the programme.

The project, for which Deputy Mayor T.J. Vinod has earmarked Rs. 10 lakh, will be implemented with the support of residents associations, Forest Department, and educational institutions.

‘One Individual-One Tree’ is another campaign that exhorts residents to plant at least one sapling each in the city.

Again, the civic body is pinning hope on residents associations and educational institutions for implementing the programme. The budgetary support for the initiative will be Rs. 5 lakh.

Though the corporation has not been successful in enforcing rainwater harvesting in houses and other buildings, the Budget makes it mandatory for all buildings with area of 2,000 sq.ft and above.

Besides, bio-gas and solar water heating units will be made mandatory for houses, the Budget says. The civic body has promised 10% tax rebate for such houses. The rebate can be taken up in consultation with the State government.

Meanwhile, the corporation has decided to continue its campaign for setting up bio-gas units in city households in the next financial year too.

An allocation of Rs. 40 lakh will be utilised for setting up such units.

In yet another initiative, the Budget proposed documentation of public wells, ponds, and other waterbodies in the city and steps for improving the quality of drinking water available in ponds and other waterbodies. The financial allocation for the project is Rs. 10 lakh.

A conservation programme for Mangalavanam, titled ‘Mangalavanam Restoration Programme’, has been proposed in the Budget. The project will be implemented as part of the Smart City project, and the civic body will spend Rs. 25 lakh on it.

A project for linking solar power generated from panels installed at houses to the power grid has also been envisaged in the Budget. An exhibition centre featuring solar power projects and allied areas will be established.