Corpn. has mega plans for solid waste management.

The civic body has rolled out mega plans for handling its ever increasing garbage, which currently revolved around 650 to 700 tonnes a day.

Roping in state-of-the-art technology from the country’s premier institution - IIT-Madras -, officials have planned to introduce “cycle-activated sludge technology,” with which recycling is possible to a great extent after treatment without affecting the environment.

Recently, technocrats, accompanied by the civic body’s engineers, visited the Avaniapuram and Sakkimangalam sites, near here, where segregation of waste is being done.

Suggesting transformation from the British instituted “French Drainage Treatment System,” the officials were told about the need for preserving the environment and lessen pollution. Right from modernisation of fleets to improvement of transfer station and compost yard figured in the discussions, officials said.

Presently, Madurai Corporation spends close to ₹40 lakh every month in lifting garbage from across the 100 wards.

Though the national average of per capita garbage generation is around 400 grams, the Madurai Corporation claims that it lifts 425 grams per person.

It deploys 2800 conservancy workers and transports garbage in 150 vehicles, including trucks, push carts and tri-cycles from different locations.

Speaking to The Hindu, Corporation Commissioner Sandeep Nanduri said that for segregation purpose, the Corporation had 32 acres of land on the outskirts, but considering the rise in population and newly added wards, an additional 119.27 acres of land had been identified.

After the Corporation expanded from 72 to 100 wards by adding extension areas, its jurisdiction too had expanded from 51.82 square kilometres to 147.99 square kilometres, he added.

THE HINDU