Corpn. upbeat about prospects of Vilappil plant

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JUNE 27. The Thiruvananthapuram City Corporation is preparing to expedite the purchase of additional trucks and garbage removal equipment in a bid to improve the supply of garbage and streamline the functioning of the solid waste processing plant at Vilappilsala. This follows the visit of the convener of the Supreme Court- appointed committee on solid waste management, Ms. Almitra H. Patel, last week.

Ms. Patel had visited the project site at Vilappil and the garbage dumping yards at Manacaud, Palayam and Chalai to make an on-the-spot assessment of the garbage collection and disposal system in the city. She later held discussions with the Corporation secretary and the deputy mayor, Mr. Sujanapriyan, who is standing in for the Mayor.

Corporation sources said Ms. Patel had recommended the daily collection and transportation of garbage from the dumping yards to the Vilappil plant to minimise pollution problems. She was reportedly convinced that the plant could be operated without causing hardships to the local people.

Corporation circles seem to be upbeat about the prospect of progressing with the project following the visit of the Supreme Court-appointed committee. It was only a few weeks back that the KPCC president, Mr. K. Muraleedharan, had threatened to close down the plant. His remark had led to a furore in the Corporation council with the Opposition staging a walkout to protest the Mayor's attempt to move an official resolution condemning the threat.

While the LDF accuses the Opposition of trying to torpedo the project, the UDF-led Opposition maintains that the joint venture project had resulted in financial irregularities to the tune of Rs.1 crore.

Meanwhile, the local protest over the alleged environmental problems caused by the plant appears to have fizzled out with the CPI pulling out of the agitation. The Vilappil villagers have been on the warpath against the reported environmental pollution and health problems created by the plant. The action council has moved the High Court demanding the shifting of the Rs.9 crores project which was set up as a joint venture between the Corporation and a private partner.

Following public protests, the LDF-held Vilappil panchayat had adopted a resolution to close down the plant. The popular agitation to force the relocation of the plant resulted in police action in January. The CPI local unit had been an active partner in the action council spearheading the agitation against the plant. But with the district leadership threatening disciplinary action, the local CPI leaders quietly withdrew from the protest.

Even as the Corporation claims to be going ahead with plans for purchase of garbage removal equipment, the Vilappil plant continues to be plagued by severe infrastructural limitations. The approach roads to the plant are yet to be constructed and power supply has not been provided.

The local body has acquired an additional 26 acres of land for widening the approach roads and another 22 acres for developing the plant but the land is yet to be handed over to the operators. The unit has been continuously operating on generators for the last one year, imposing a heavy financial burden on the management. The KSEB has installed a transformer but the power connection to the plant is yet to materialise. The Corporation has also failed to honour its assurance that a Government agency would be roped in to market the biofertiliser produced from garbage.

The plant is currently receiving about 100 tonnes of garbage against a daily requirement of 300 tonnes. Corporation sources said the shortfall was mainly due to the shortage of vehicles and equipment to collect and transport the wastes from the city. The local body is planning to purchase 15 lorries and other equipment but the proposal has been tied down by shortage of funds.

The deputy mayor, Mr. Sujanapriyan, said the purchase was on top of the Corporation's agenda. He said it would be finalised in two weeks.

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