Special Chief Secretary, Municipal Administration & Urban Development, Arvind Kumar announced that one more waste-to-energy plant will be developed at the Jawaharnagar landfill, in order to reduce the burden of waste generated from the city.
Development of the plant may take up to 18 months’ time after environmental clearance, which is expected in November, he said, after inspecting the dump yard on Saturday along with GHMC Mayor Gadwal Vijayalakshmi, Mayor of Jawaharnagar Municipal Corporation M. Kavya, Chairperson of the Dammaiguada Municipality Praneetha, GHMC Commissioner D.S. Lokesh Kumar and others.
The inspection was undertaken upon instructions by MA&UD Minister K.T. Rama Rao, who received a complaint from Ms. Praneetha on social media, about the unbearable stench emanating from the garbage dump. Already a waste-to-energy plant of 20 mW exists at the solid waste management site managed by the Ramky Enviro Engineers Limited, but the amount of waste generated by the city is way higher than the requirement at the plant. Fresh proposal is to establish a 28 mW plant at ₹ 700 crore investment, a statement from the REEL informed.
Meanwhile, temporary measures will be initiated to curb the stench, by spraying with drones, and covering the open piles of garbage, it said.
Mayor Vijayalakshmi said the site will be revisited in a fortnight to ensure that the measures are in place.
