Corpn to reopen 22 defunct micro composting centres

Coimbatore: The city corporation has started work to make 22 micro composting centres (MCCs), which were lying defunct, operational following a recent direction from the National Green Tribunal to do so within four weeks.
The direction was issued by Justice P Jyothimani, the chairperson of the state monitoring committee of the National Green Tribunal for solid waste management in Tamil Nadu, to stop unloading of fresh daily waste at the Vellalore dump yard. Out of 34 MCCs in the city, only 12 are operational at present.
Corporation commissioner M Prathap told TOI that equipment in 22 centres are being readied to make them operational within the said time.
“In this week, the corporation will make a list of equipment needed to operate the centres and float a tender for the supply of the same. All this process will be completed at the earliest and 22 centres will become operational before November 20,” he said.
On Monday, the commissioner, along with other officials, inspected a defunct MCC at Pullukadu.
On opposition from people to setting up micro composting centres in residential areas, Pratap said the Supreme Court had ordered that no one could move the court seeking closure of MCCs. “We will soon start an awareness campaign to sensitise residents on the importance of the MCCs.”
Prathap said the civic body is planning to establish an integrated biogas plant rather than decentralised waste management. “Plans are afoot to establish an integrated plant to handle 100 to 200 tonnes of waste. There is enough space to establish such plant.”
He added that two out of five biogas plants which could handle less than two tonnes of waste were made operational recently.