Guidelines to set up waste management plants, power projects

Hyderabad, Dec 21 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Municipal Administration Minister Koneru Ranga Rao told the state Assembly today that the government had issued comprehensive guidelines for setting up municipal solid waste processing units and power projects with municipal solid waste.

Replying to a question by Congress member S Udaya Bhanu during the Question Hour, he said such units were operational in three municipalities already and the rest would also be taken up in due course.

The Minister said 23 private entrepreneurs had responded to the 'expression of interest' called by the department and came forward to set up the units. A Technical Committee was examining these proposals.

Mr Rao said Suryapet had introduced a novel method of garbage collection which would be introduced all over the state. The scheme was 60 to 70 per cent operational in towns and municipalities, he said, adding it would be fully operational by the year end.

The Minister said under the method, garbage was sorted out into three different categories. Under the first, solid waste would be processed and converted into power. The second category of waste was used for producing vermi compost and the third which was not useful for any purpose, would be dumped in the low-lying areas for levelling.

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