The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Urban local bodies asked to use apt technologies for waste management

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 25, 2006
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Urban local bodies asked to use apt technologies for waste management

S. Dorairaj

Acquiring land for compost yards remains a major hurdle Acquiring land for setting up compost yards remains a major hurdle

CHENNAI: As the solid waste management programmes make tardy progress in the State, the Department of Municipal Administration has asked all the urban local bodies under its control to adopt appropriate technologies for waste processing and disposal as per the Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000.

Fixing the responsibility on municipal authorities, the State Pollution Control Board and the State Government, the Central Rules set December 3, 2003 as the deadline for implementing municipal solid waste management through methods including composting. However, 97 per cent of the municipalities in the State have not adhered to the deadline, resulting in the continued transport of around 10,000 tonnes of untreated solid waste generated a day in the six corporations and 148 municipalities to dumping sites.

Identifying and acquiring land for setting up compost yards at the rate of one acre for every 10,000 population continues to be a major hurdle. In October 2004, the Government sought extension of the schedule till 2007. The Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India for the year ended on March 31, 2005 had also pointed out several procedural lapses in the solid waste management.

The State Government issued orders for implementation of the municipal solid waste management Rules only in December 2001, more than a year after the Centre notified them.

The Government hopes that its multi-pronged strategy— simplification of the procedures to accord administrative sanctions, provision of PCB's clearance and removal of hurdles in the purchase of land — are expected to help the urban local bodies make headway.

As land is not available for compost yard in each municipality, the Government has been encouraging a cluster approach as in the case of the Venkatamangalam compost yard covering some municipalities around Chennai. It has so far identified 15 clusters linking 45 towns. It has also been considering setting up compost plants on a build, operate and transfer basis, besides involving self-help groups in maintenance.

With all the municipalities presenting the action plan at a total cost of Rs.185 crore, the Government has sanctioned Rs.4.75 crore to 69 municipalities for buying land and provided Rs. eight crore for improving infrastructure in the Chennai Metropolitan Area. Under the XII Finance Commission, Rs.19.22 crore has been earmarked for all the Grade I and II municipalities and Rs.39.68 crore for the Grade III municipalities for 2005-2006. The Government also expects them to fully utilise incentive funds to the tune of Rs.9.10 crore earmarked for two years (2003-2005).

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