The Hindu Business Line : AP working on solid waste disposal plan

IN an effort to help municipalities tackle the growing `garbage' problems in Andhra Pradesh, the Environmental Protection Training Research Institute (EPTRI), here is working out a three-year strategy.

The EPTRI has been entrusted the task by a high-level committee of the State Government, which examined the issue of handling municipal solid wastes (MSW), which was rapidly emerging as a major problem in several municipalities, according to Ms Gayatri Ramachandran, Director-General of the institute.

As the nodal agency for the management of MSW, the EPTRI would provide support and advice to municipalities in terms of the methodologies to be used, sourcing funds, involving private sector etc, Ms Ramachandran told Business Line.

The EPTRI has sought the financial support of IDFC, while the ICICI has already shown inclination to fund some initiatives. Once the strategy is ready, the necessary modalities could be worked out, she said.

Segregation of wastes, treating them and use of biomethanation or to dump them safely in landfills; whether they would be useful as ingredients as fuel to produce power and other options are being considered before coming up with the most practical option for the municipalities in the State.

After the recent Supreme Court directive, the onus is now on the municipalities to quickly put in place a mechanism to handle the wastes. In AP there are 117 municipalities, but except for a dozen the rest face fund shortages to implement any solution that is expensive.

In Anantapur district, a landfill to dump MSW has been taken up with an investment of Rs 6 crores. The centre is funding the project under the eco-city initiative. An integrated waste management project that can manage about 125 tonnes per day is also being implemented on an experimental basis. A similar project has also been planned for Tirupati.

The EPTRI is also working in-house on engineering applications to MSW with emphasis on renewable energy recovery.

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