'Country behind in turning waste to energy'

ICONSWM-2012 concludes at Infosys

Echoing the statements of Union Minister of State for Urban Development Saugata Roy, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) commissioner M K Shankarlingegowda reiterated that the country still lacked an efficient waste to energy conversion plant.

He was speaking at the valedictory of the third international conference on solid waste management ‘ICONSWM-2012’ at the N R Narayana Murthy Centre of Excellence here on Wednesday.

However, he said that Bangalore was planning to set-up an 8 MW plant within the next three months, which would convert waste into electricity. Being the first of its kind, he said it would help do away with nearly 4000 metric tonnes of garbage generated per day in the state capital.

Mentioning other initiatives taken by BBMP, Shankarlingegowda said Rs 550 would be spent on management of waste, of which Rs 250 crore is for taking garbage out of Bangalore. The remaining amount is being spent on garbage collection. He also said that the next edition of international conference on solid waste management would be held in Bangalore in 2013.

Former additional chief secretary and KUIDFC chairman B A Coutinho said that there was need to conduct an isotope study to understand the damage caused to groundwater due to the dumping of waste.

Observing that there were no estimates on effects of waste, he said unless such an estimate is known, it would be difficult to have an effective plan. He also mentioned that more work on waste water management was needed.

The next international conference would be held in Bangalore in 2013 and subsequently in Hyderabad in 2014.

MP AH Vishwanath, Mysore City Corporation deputy mayor Mahadevappa, deputy commissioner P S Vastrad, MCC commissioner M R Ravi and others were present.