Trivandrum | Water Supply , Sewerage & Irrigation System

[ajithv]

Garbage: Attingal municipality may be declared as model

The garbage disposal plant run successfully by the Attingal Municipality for many years,on the strength of which the local body was selected as a clean city for the seventh time in a row by the State Pollution Control Board,is being considered to be notified as a model initiative for local bodies.

Urban Affairs and Development Minister Manjalamkuzhy Ali told the Assembly on Wednesday that the functioning of the plant was on an admirable scale,worth to be emulated in other regions.

Attingal MLA B Sathyan said that more assistance was sought for the cash-strapped municipality,which incurred a loss of lakhs of rupees, owing to the cost of operating the plant.

“It is estimated that the municipality was running at a loss of around Rs 1.75 lakh per month over the project.

“P K Kunhalikutty,while holding charge of the portfolio, had released an assistance of Rs 1.74 crore,” he said.

“The government has to think on whether the successful plant could be declared as a model and study centre for other local bodies,” the MLA urged.

Manjalamkuzhy Ali said that the government has taken note of the municipality’s initiative in garbage processing and the support extended earlier testifies it.

“Rs 99.48 crore was released for solid waste management and another Rs 24.35 crore for managing waste at source in February. The scope of making the plant a model for other local bodies will be probed seriously,” he promised.

Sathyan pointed out that the success of the project should be rated based on the fact that it was comprehensive and effectively produces organic manure,vermi compost and biogas after segregating plastic material in a shredding unit.

[ajithv]

Thiruvananthapuram to Get Tunnel View of Engineering Marvel !

[ajithv]

Manacaud school too gets biogas plant

The City Corporation has set up a biogas plant at the Karthika Thirunal Vocational Higher Secondary School, Manacaud, and it was inaugurated on Friday by Mayor K Chandrika. The plant has been installed at a cost of Rs. 4.84 lakh under a Kerala Sustainable Urban Development Project (KSUDP) scheme.

Ever since the garbage crisis hit the city six months back, the Corporation has been encouraging schools and other institutions to install biogas plants on their compounds. Many schools, including Cotton Hill GHSS and Pattom GHSS, have come forward for this and work is progressing on the biogas plants in these institutions.

Manacaud VHSS has around 3,000 students and the plant has the capacity to treat 150 kg of bio-degradable waste each day. ‘’The plant will produce energy that could be used as fuel for a continuous six hours. We have already conducted a trial and in the last one week the school canteen has been working on the energy from the plant for 5 hours,’’ said a KSUDP official.

The expenses for setting up the plant include the two-year operational cost too. ‘’This is a model, we want more schools to come forward and do the same so that children are taught the rules of waste disposal, energy saving and litter-free environment,’’ said Pushpalatha, Health Standing Committee Chairperson.

The inaugural ceremony was also attended by Deputy Mayor G Happykumar and Standing Committee chairpersons Palayam Rajan and K S Sheela.

Under the KSUDP project, SMV School in the city was the first to take to biogas plant some time back. Cotton Hill and Pattom GHSS would also have the plant up and operational in a few weeks.

Kannammoola bund colony and Rajaji Nagar colony (Chenkalchoolah) are the two other spots where biogas plants will soon come up.

Meanwhile, more wards are warming up to the idea of installing a biogas plant at a certain institution or school in their respective limits, Health officials said.

[ajithv]

Source: Malayala Manorama

[Tri Man]

Originally Posted by ajithv

Source: Malayala Manorama

In past,whenever the monsoon was weak in June-July,there used to be flood in August due to short duration continuous heavy rain.Hope mother nature will help us.

[ajithv]

JICA project to be over by December

Fresh life is being ‘pumped’ into the much-delayed work of establishing a distribution system for the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)-assisted water supply scheme in Thiruvananthapuram, and if things go as planned, the entire project should be over here by December this year.

The technical bid of a prospective new contractor for the distribution system work was cleared on Tuesday. The financial bid will be opened next week, a top official of the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) said.

The work had been hit midway following delays. And the subsequent termination of the original contractor for the work forced the KWA to re-tender it.

The JICA-assisted water supply scheme was envisaged in four packages and two have been completed. The fourth is in the final stage, but the third package had presented a severe headache for the KWA. Since pipes were to be laid through the city, KWA had faced stiff opposition from road development agencies as well as telecom services whose cables passed under the roads that were to be cut up.

‘’In fact, 50 per cent of the work on the distribution system has been completed so far. But now, the District Collector also has assured us that arrangements will be made to ensure that the pipes are laid without trouble,’’ JICA project (Thiruvananthapuram) chief engineer T S Rajendra Babu said.

In fact, Water Resources Minister P J Joseph himself told the Assembly on Wednesday that the remaining works can be completed by the year-end.

In the first of the four packages, a 72 MLD (million litres a day) intake and treatment plant was established at Aruvikkara. The second involved the drawing of a main pipeline to carry the water from Aruvikkara to more than ten tanks in the city. This work too has been completed. Of the 11 tanks planned in various parts of the city in Package No 4, only two - at Thirumala and Vellayambalam - remain to be commissioned. The work is about 90 per cent over, KWA officials said.

[Ajaypp]

Welcome as the news of the project's completion is, the sad truth is that the by the time it has been finished, the JICA project's capacity would already have been exceeded by the demands of the fast growing metropolis. As far as I remember, the cumulative capacity of the KWA system at this point, including the JICA addition, is about 250 MLD. Considering an average requirement of 250 L/day/person, this is sufficient only for about 1 Million people, which is probably just about half of the current population of the metropolitan region.

The case of the 100 MLD sewage treatment plant is an even more alarming story of poor capacity planning.

In the case of projects such as these, which typically take at least 5 years to complete, the demand estimate should be considered at least 20 years into the future. Else, we will be forced a new set of pipes to meet demand, even before work on the previous set is finished and the roads will always be in a state of disrepair.

Perhaps, Sreedharan can help.......

[ajithv]

Thiruvananthapuram’s water supply project enters last phase

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The city leg of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) assisted water supply scheme has entered the final phase and is gearing up for the remaining interconnection work of the project in the city. Once it is completed, several points in the city, where water shortage is an issue, will heave a sigh of relief.

But, the interconnection work that links the existing water supply system to the JICA system to work as a single integrated unit is a challenging feat as the spatial issues and drilling through roads proving to be hurdles. According to a JICA project official, "The interlinking is a complicated process and the haphazard terrain of Thiruvananthapuram adds to the problem."

Another issue is that of drilling through the newly laid roads of PWD. Though KWA will pay for the road works that would follow after the interconnection procedures, the task is easily said than done. "Though the PWD has expressed its cooperation, most often cutting through roads invites public displeasure," said an official.

The interconnection has already been done in some regions in Kudappanakkunnu and Vattiyoorkavu a few months ago. There are 52 spots left in the city that includes Thriumala, the central zone and Manvila. Moreover, the laying of new pipelines that covers 134 km is also pending in the low lying zones and central zones. "After the new lines are laid, these lines too will undergo interconnection at necessary junctures," said a source at JICA project.

The interconnection work at Kudappanakkunnu made the water scarcity worse in certain areas, but the problems were solved eventually.

"There were multiple pipe bursts after the interlinking since the pipes couldn't handle the water pressure. However, after we registered complaints with KWA, the bursts were fixed," said S Murugan, the ward councilor.

He added that the water shortage issue prevalent in the region had not been completely resolved despite the JICA augmentation project.

[ajithv]

Bangalore firm to help do away with plastic waste

The Corporation, still in the dark about how to dispose of the organic waste generated in the city with the Vilappilsala plant remaining closed, has some hope on the plastic waste disposal front.

The civic body has arrived at an understanding with the Bangalore-based Green Transit Renewable Energies, which has come forward with an offer to collect and process plastic waste from the city.

Final round of discussions was held last week by the city Corporation and the Suchitwa Mission authorities with the representatives of the company regarding the setting up of a pyrolysis plant for processing plastic waste.

The plant with a capacity to process 10 tonnes of plastic waste per day is proposed to come up near Thonnakkal on the land leased out by the Sathya Sai Orphanage Trust. As per the agreement reached between the Corporation and the company, the Corporation will provide segregated, cleaned and dried plastic to the company, which will use it as a raw material for the pyrolysis plant.

“This is entirely a private project coming up on a private land. The State government and Corporation have only agreed upon providing plastic waste to the company. As of now, there are no financial deals between the company and the Corporation. The plastic waste will be provided free of cost,” an official of Suchitwa Mission said.

Soon to take off

Mayor K. Chandrika said the project was expected to take off within a couple of months soon after the pyrolysis plant was constructed at Thonakkal.

“Once this project is implemented, we will be able to collect plastic waste from every household in the city. We can employ Kudumbasree Clean Well unit workers for the work,” Ms. Chandrika said.

G. Murali Krishnan of Green Transit Renewable Energies said the “100 per cent eco-friendly plastic pyrolysis” plant would decompose the plastic waste into furnace oil, carbon black and natural gas. “Furnace oil, which can be used for boilers or refined further into liquid petroleum products, will be the major by-product of this pyrolysis plant. Around 35 per cent of the residue will be carbon black and around 12 per cent will be natural gas,” he said.

“While furnace oil and carbon black can be sold out, we will be using the natural gas to run the plant, making it a self-sufficient project in terms of energy. All kinds of plastic waste and even rubber and used lubricants can be processed in the plant,” Mr. Krishnan said.

He said the construction of the plan would begin within a fortnight of signing formal agreements. “We have similar plastic pyrolysis plants in Maharashtra, Gujarat, New Delhi and Andhra Pradesh. The plant coming up in Thiruvananthapuram will be a Rs.2.64-crore project. The construction of the plant is expected to be completed in 60 days,” he said.

[Tri Man]

Corporation Councillors , Mayor ,Vilappil Panchayath team and minister Manjalankuzhi Ali should be compulsorily send to garbage plants all over india to study how the waste is managed.The study should be atleast for two months.

Then they may be able to arrive at a best solution.

[ajithv]

Then how can they be "Politicians"?

[Tri Man]

Originally Posted by ajithv

Then how can they be "Politicians"?

If they are good politicians.they could have solved the Garbage Issue atleast one year ago.
What is the status of Vizhinjam Port ? Don't you feel ashamed to be ruled by such inefficient leaders.

[ajithv]

Originally Posted by Tri Man

If they are good politicians.they could have solved the Garbage Issue atleast one year ago.

Are these rare species still exists?

[ajithv]

Source: Kaumudi

[ajithv]

Source: City Kaumudi

[ajithv]

After Kochuveli and Murukkumpuzha, it's Parassala

If things work out, Parassala might be the next in line where construction of the railway platform would be carried out using waste from the city. Sources said that a team from the Suchitwa Mission and the City Corporation is likely to visit the place on Tuesday to check the possibility.

The Railway had identified 27 spots under the Thiruvananthapuram division where waste could be used for platform construction. Parassala is one among them. Though Eravipuram (in Kollam) was also considered, the technical difficulties in transporting waste from the city prompted the officials to cross the place out.

However, Suchitwa Mission Executive Director George Chakacherry said that no place, or for that matter Parassala, has been considered as the next waste destination. ‘’Nothing has been finalised,’’ he said. The Corporation Health Officer also said echoed the same. However, sources said that many places are being considered out of the list and Parassala sure tops it.

That the Railway is really enthused about the project - of using waste for platform construction - has come as a boon for the State Government. But even when it has identified 27 spots, the Suchitwa Mission cannot jump on it for fear of public protests at many places. However, the Railway feels that the work at Kochuveli and Murukkumpuzha has been done fairly well.

‘’It’s been carried out well. Moreover, we cannot expect a perfect solution from the start; the shortcomings have to be removed each time and the idea taken forward. I think the Corporation has been erasing the shortcomings and it has come out well at both places,’’ said Rajesh Agrawal, Divisional Railway Manager. He, however, said that if Parassala was being considered next, it was not known to him.

Mayor meets Chandy

Meanwhile, the City Corporation has once again knocked at the doors of the state officialdom seeking a solution to the garbage woes that are likely to multiply with the festival season getting near. Mayor K Chandrika called on Chief Minister Oommen Chandy at his official residence on Monday morning seeking immediate government intervention in the matter. The Corporation will also hand over a letter on Tuesday demanding the same. The Mayor visited Chandy at Cliff House, wh ere the two leaders discussed the garbage issue. ‘’I told him things are getting worse. They have to identify a place or a mechanism as soon as possible. With Onam round the corner, everything will head into a clash, if there is no mechanism in place to tackle waste problems,’’ Chandrika said. The Mayor said that she has asked the Corporation officials to draw up a detailed letter explaining the situation. ‘’We will try and visit him on Tuesday to hand over the letter officially,’’ she said.

[ajithv]

KWA to resume work on 'forgotten sewerage line'

Originally conceptualised in 1972, a sewerage line under the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) which could benefit around 8,000 families in the city is yet to be commissioned. But now, following the initiative of a citizen activist, things have finally got rolling.

The sewerage line was planned for Maruthamkuzhi, Koottanvila, Kattachal, Pangode and Udiyannoor areas. According to officials, land acquisition issues on four stretches had brought inordinate delay to the project.

Maruthamkuzhy-based P Jayakumar, a retired government official, brought the matter to the notice of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy through the ‘Sutharya Keralam’ programme last month. Surprised by the delay in the work, the Chief Minister asked KWD MD Ashok Kumar Singh to take speedy action to complete the work.

On the reason for the delay in the work, Ashok Kumar Singh said land acquisition was the biggest hurdle. “The vested interest of some Revenue officials delayed the project. Now, we have taken follow-up actions. Steps are being taken to expedite the work,” said Singh.

Suresh, executive engineer of Sewerage Division, Pattoor, said land acquisition on four stretches, including the Jagathy-Puthupally Road, near Pangode military camp and near S K Hospital, are the major hurdles.

“We have filed a fresh application to the District Collector for carrying out the land acquisition. An application will be submitted before the State-level Empowered Committee to expedite land acquisition by including the work in fast track,” he said.

Meanwhile, the KWA will initiate the work in the missing links where land acquisition is not an issue. “There is a missing link of around 500 metres where work could begin without acquiring land. We have prepared an estimate of Rs 1.50 crore and submitted it for administrative sanction. Once we get the sanction, we could soon complete the works and commission the sewerage lines at Jagathy and Pangode areas,” said Suresh.

The Chief Minister is understood to have given a six-month deadline to complete the work. However, the KWA MD said that it would take a year to complete the work once the land acquisition issues are sorted out.

[ajithv]

Source: City Kaumudi

[ajithv]

Source: City Kaumudi

[ajithv]

Technopark ignores Credai's waste plan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Technopark's board of directors have decided to drop a proposal by the Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Associations of India (Credai) to set up a garbage treatment plant on the campus and decided to call for an expression of interest to undertake the project, instead.

A year ago, the Technopark and Credai had verbally agreed on a collaboration to set up a four-way comprehensive waste disposal unit with bio-bins, biogas plants, plastic shredder units and an incinerator. Credai had, by way of example, submitted a project it had done at the Le Meridian Hotel in Kochi three years ago. Credai's clean city movement executive director Jose Joseph said he had not heard from the IT park authorities after submitting the proposal.

Credai had estimated the project cost at Rs 22 lakh, but the park authorities said the area chosen was a low-lying one which needed to be filled at an additional cost of Rs 25 lakh. "The board has decided to call for an expression of interest in September as Credai is a private organization and we do not want to be embroiled in questions as to how they bagged the contract

The work will be carried out in two phases. In phase I, 10 bio-bins and two plastic shredders will be installed. The cost of phase one is likely to be Rs 12 lakh," said a top Technopark official.

Meanwhile, Joseph said, "We realized that the government machinery works at its own pace. What we presented was a low-cost and effective waste management solution. We had emphasized source-level separation of bio-degradable waste, wet and dry waste, and those that can be recycled. But we refused to undertake civil works for the sorting shed as nokkukooli is often an issue in Thiruvananthapuram," he said.

At present, restaurateurs in Technopark pay Rs 200 a day to an external agency to collect food waste. The plastic is buried and paper waste is burned by park authorities within the premises.