The Hindu : New Delhi News : Sonia's help sought for setting up waste energy plant

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 08, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Sonia's help sought for setting up waste energy plant

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, DEC. 7. The Delhi Mayor, A. R. Verma, has sought support of the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, in her capacity as chairperson of the ruling United Progressive Alliance at the Centre for setting up of a "waste-to-energy plant'' in the Capital.

Expressing concern that multiplicity of authority and red tapism might result in inordinate delays in speedy execution of the ambitious project, Mr. Verma in a letter urged Ms. Gandhi to ensure that the waste-to-energy plant was set up and made operational at the earliest.

Stating that the project required clearances from various Ministries like the Union Urban Development Ministry, the Union Science and Technology Ministry, the Union Environment Ministry and the Union Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Resources, besides those from Delhi Government, Mr. Verma requested Ms. Gandhi to direct the Ministries concerned to take up the project on a priority basis.

Making available copies of the letter written on December 6 to the media at a press conference here today, Mr. Verma said he got the inspiration to set up a waste to energy plant from the President, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, whom he met after becoming the Mayor. "After he informed me about such a project at Shadnagar in Hyderabad, I personally visited these places and prepared a feasibility report, which I have submitted to Ms. Gandhi," he said.

Speaking highly about the Hyderabad project, he said the project was the first of its kind in the country and its implementation in the Capital was the need of the hour. "With a population of 140 lakhs, Delhi on an average generates solid waste of about 7,000 metric tonnes every day and it is a stupendous task to dispose of this waste. Almost every landfill site in the city and surrounding places is full. As a result, solid waste management has become a major problem for the Capital, which is also causing environmental problems," he said.

Setting of a waste-to-energy plant, where solid waste is used to generate electricity, would also solve problem of its disposal including finding new landfill sites, besides adding to the availability of power in Delhi.

Referring to the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010, Mr. Verma said it was now all the more necessary that we present a cleaner Delhi to the world before, during and after the event. "We would now work whole heartedly to make Delhi a truly international, clean and green city much before the Commonwealth Games," he said.

Mr. Verma said he would son meet various Union Ministers in this regard to ensure that the project got all clearances before the end of his tenure in March. Mr. Verma spoke highly of the private company -- the SELCO International -- at Hyderabad.

Replying to media queries, Mr. Verma said Delhiites lacked civic sense and there was an urgent needs to launch a mass awareness campaign in this regard. "Citizens should know their duties as residents of the Capital and should throw their garbage in bins provided by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. We need active co-operation of the residents in keeping Delhi a neat, clean and green city," he said.

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