JOIN USTapping energy from waste, Mysore makes a start
In an attempt to check growing kitchen waste and reuse the waste to generate alternate source of energy, Mysore City Corporation (MCC) has launched efforts to encourage the producers to set up biogas plants in the city.
The local body’s initiative, may also prove handy in the wake of rising prices of LPG cylinders.
The city corporation on Wednesday hosted an awareness programme involving hoteliers and public the largest contributors to kitchen waste to encourage them set up biogas plants.
The meeting attended by around 150 interested people lasted nearly three hours. To ensure more buyers for the environment-friendly initiative, MCC commissioner M R Ravi also announced sops; subsidy of Rs 1,000 for setting up the plant and also waiver of waste management cess.
What boosted the confidence of the civic body was some among the participants who readily agreed to set up the plant.
Environmental officer of the city corporation and programme coordinator Shafinaz told Deccan Herald, the city generates up to 25 tonnes of kitchen waste every day from big to small hotels, besides household. The waste could be left over food or vegetables.
In the existing set up, the wet waste is being diverted to Pinjrapole Society to feed the cattle, and dry waste to the plant at Sewage Farm where it will be converted into compost. In the case of animal waste, it is being disposed deploying deep burial method at Kesare on the outskirts.
If the kitchen waste is reused by the producers by setting up biogas plants, it will be further beneficial in the wake of rising prices of LPG cylinders. The plants need one time investment of Rs 25,000, but zero maintenance.
According to an estimate, though biogas concept is old, not many are willing to adopt the mechanism. Of around 1.25 lakh properties in the city, a meagre 20 to 30 have adopted the unit. The officer said pilot plants have been set up on the premises of K R Hospital and Administrative Training Institute (ATI) and the interested can have a glimpse of the same. Earlier, a skit on handling waste was staged by the employees of Administrative Training Institute (ATI).
Prof Shamsundar from National Institute of Engineering (NIE)- Centre for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology (CREST) gave inputs on setting up the plants to the gathering.
Deputy commissioner of MCC K N Dharmappa, health officer Dr D G Nagaraj, chairman of Mysore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) S Sudhakar Shetty, president of Mysore Hotel Owners Association M Rajendra and others were present.