Cost of Deonar plant to be Rs 1,000 crore

The estimated cost of the proposed waste to energy plant at Deonar dumping ground is Rs 1,000 crore and it would produce 25-30 megawatt energy by processing 3,000 metric tonnes of waste every day.

According to Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials, the tender process for the proposed waste to energy plant would begin in August and the work order would be issued at the end of the year.

The BMC had appointed Tata Consulting Engineers to suggest measures for waste disposal at Deonar dump site by scientific methods. In a powerpoint presentation made before the municipal commissioner and top civic officials, the consultants said that only 14.2 hectares of land, of the total 120 hectares Deonar dumping ground, would be required to set up the project.

Once completed, the project would be the biggest waste to energy plant in the country. The main feature of the project would be the processing of maximum waste in minimum required area. The expected time span of the project is 25 years.

“An advanced technology would be used for the scientific treatment of waste at Deonar dumping ground. However, environmental, CRZ and other necessary statutory permissions will have to be sought for the completion of project,” said a senior civic official.

The civic administration has admitted that it is unable to process large quantity of waste in the city. Of the 9,310 MT of waste, only 38 per cent of waste is being processed in the city. The BMC is facing difficulties in treating waste scientifically due to various reasons.

The massive fire at Deonar dumping ground early this year has further emphasised the need of scientific processing of garbage at dump sites, said civic officials.

The fire kept raging for more than a week, which caused lot of health hazards for the citizens in surrounding areas.