‘Green Chennai Initiative’, if implemented well, can help to reduce nearly one-third of the wet waste sent from homes, markets, and commercial hubs across the city to the landfills, according to the Federation of North Chennai Residents’ Welfare Association. A people-centric approach can be an alternative to the waste-to-energy plant, proposed by the Greater Chennai Corporation, at Kodungaiyur, residents and experts say.
The waste-to-energy project has faced backlash since last year.
Notably, a similar proposal, considered by the civic body in 2008, was scrapped as the Corporation was unable to secure the environmental clearance. There was opposition from environmentalists, sources say.
According to T.K. Shanmugam of the Federation, ‘Green Chennai Initiative’, put forth by the association along with experts, calls for strict source segregation, bio-methanation, decentralised composting, involving ‘green ambassadors’ chosen from among members of the public, and controlling the use of single-use plastic. It will be an alternative to the plant proposed at Kodungaiyur. He says the plan is yet to be formally presented to Mayor R. Priya.
He says some residents are willing to segregate waste, but most household trash is collected in a mixed form. Conservancy workers then dump dry and wet waste together in the collection vehicle. This is a hurdle to proper waste management in North Chennai.
