In a bid to solve garbage-related issues in Bengaluru, civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is set to establish five waste-to-energy power plants in public-private partnership (PPP) model in and around the city. According to Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy, the proposed plants include two in Mavallipura and one each in Kannahalli, Doddabidarakallu, and Marenahalli areas which would help in the disposal of around 5,000 tonnes of daily waste generated in Bengaluru.
“All these projects will be ready in two years,” Law Minister J C Madhuswamy said on behalf of Yediyurappa, who was not present in the House. “Bengaluru generates 5,500 tonnes of solid waste daily. Of this, 4,000-4,500 tonnes come from domestic households,” he added. According to the government’s reply, there are five solid waste management projects in the pipeline. The Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd (KPCL) will set up a 600-tonne capacity plant at Bidadi to use solid waste or refuse-derived fuel to generate 11.5 MW power at a cost of Rs 260 crore. Other projects are being taken up in public-private partnership. The government has approved a waste-to-energy unit to be set up by Satarem Enterprises at Kannalli to generate 12 MW power using 1,000 tonnes of mixed waste. This will be up and running in 24 months, Yediyurappa said.
Last month, the government approved a project to use 1,000 tonnes of waste to produce CNG by Farmgreen at Mavallipura. Yediyurappa also said in his reply that the government had put on hold a project to set up a waste-recycling park at Madhugiri and Kanakapura due to protests from locals. “After Mandur, locals will naturally protest the city’s waste being brought into their villages,” former Bengaluru city development minister K J George said. “The Centre gives 40% subsidy for waste-to-energy plants only after they’re commissioned. But if the government can convince the Centre to give this upfront, it will incentivise more players to come forward because nobody will be ready to invest Rs 350 crore required to set up one unit,” he said.
