Ecologists concerned over proposed energy plants

“Technology is unsustainable and hazardous”
“It will destroy source of livelihood of people”


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NEW DELHI: Environmentalists have expressed concern over the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s move to set up incineration-based waste-to-energy plants at Sukhdev Vihar, Timarpur and Ghazipur in the Capital.

Terming the technology “unsustainable and hazardous” to mange the city’s waste, the environmentalists say no hazardous industry should be set up in residential areas.

“The proposed incineration technology for energy generation is quite hazardous. It emits dioxins, the poisonous cancer-causing toxins. Incineration transfers hazardous waste from solid form to air, water and ash. It also releases new toxins which were not present in the original waste stream, besides generating heavy metals like mercury,” said environmentalist Gopal Krishna. “In fact, a technology like this will kill the recycling sector and destroy the source of livelihood of people working in the waste sector. In order to get this project implemented, the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) will provide a subsidy. The waste will be provided by MCD. Also the civic body’s claim that these plants will eliminate the need for a dumping ground is false,” he added.

“This not only violates the Municipal Solid Wastes (Management Handling) Rules, 2000, which stipulates segregation and promotes recycling of `recoverable resources’, but also pre-empts segregation and recycling efforts being made by municipalities and communities around the country,” said a statement issued by environmentalists. It contends that the incinerator-based technology is a failed technology and that the ash and suspended particulate matter that emerge from the combustion technologies are a huge perpetual problem because although there is volume reduction of waste through this technique, the management of ever growing ash remains.


The Hindu

URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/10/stories/2008061053360400.htm
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New Delhi