Delhi adopts Dioxins emitting technology for waste management

Time is running out...in Delhi, work is all set to begin on the incinerator based on waste-to-energy plan...all this is being reported in national dailies...

It is going to be repeat of Timarpur blunder.

All the environmental organisations based in Delhi know about it still there is lack of initiative to combat this Dioxins emitting technology. Such hazardous technologies have adverse consequences for human health and environment.

Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is working with Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (ILFS) to deal with municipal solid waste. MCD's master plan was prepared by UNOPS that mentioned several projects for effective management of solid waste. The Master Plan also said that refuse-derived fuel (RDF) technology is a polluting technology and is used only in places where environmental norms are lax.

Tenders have already been called and all necessary approvals taken from Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission. It entails first convert waste into refuse-derived fuel (RDF) and then use it for electricity generation. While 1300 tonnes of garbage will be used to make RDF at Okhla, around 600 tonnes will be used in Timarpur. The project is expected to generate about 16 to 20 MW of electricity.While NDMC is the land-owning agency in Okhla -where an RDF plant and a power generating plant will be installed - the land at Timarpur is owned by Delhi government and only an RDF plant will be set up here. The company running the Okhla plant will supply MCD power at a rate ranging from Rs 2.5 per unit to Rs 3.47 per unit initially. Both projects have a deadline of 2010 and are expected to cost Rs 200 crore.

It is claimed that these projects will help reduce pressure on the existing landfill sites at Bhalswa , Okhla and Ghazipur. Around 2,200 MT of solid waste from areas like Shahdara north and south, Civil Lines, central, south and city zones will be diverted to the Okhla and Timarpur plants. At present Delhi dumps about 95% of its solid waste but we hope to reprocess around 50% of this in the next two years.

MCD’s landfill at Jaitpur is expected to be ready by December this year. MCD has started levelling the area there.

The city produces around 6,000 MT waste at present . This will go up by around 1,500 to 2,000 MT by 2010. The fact remains that the sane ways waste management such as recycling and composting are only being paid lip service to.