The waste-to-energy plant at Peringamala will be set up only after conducting proper environment impact studies and addressing the concerns of the local population, Minister for Local Self-Governments A.C. Moideen said in his reply to a submission in the Assembly on the Peringamala issue on Wednesday.
Tri-party contract
“The proposed waste-to-energy plants in different parts of the State will not have any adverse impact on the environment or on the public. The private agencies who will run these plants will be chosen based on a global tender, by taking into consideration their prior experience. The plant will be run as per a tri-party contract among the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation, the private agency, and the local body,” he said.
The plant at Peringamala is meant for the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Attingal, Nedumangad, Neyyattinkara, and Varkala municipalities and the other grama panchayats. The local body has the responsibility of taking the waste generated from their area to the collection bins of the private company. This waste will be transported in specially covered vehicles to the treatment plant, where it will be processed and used to generate electricity. The waste processing will be as per the guidelines of the Central and State Pollution Control Boards and the Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules 2016, he said.
“The State government will put in place a system for round-the-clock monitoring of the plant. The tender processes of a similar plant at Njeliyanparamba in Kozhikode has already begun. The experiences from there will put an end to the doubts of the public,” he added.