Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)
Mangaluru, Feb 6: The mini biogas power plant built behind the Urwa market building by the city corporation was meant to generate power, supply it to Mescom and make some money. But the basic purpose is lost and this plant has become a burden for the corporation.
After the plant was built, most of the time it remained inactive rather than generating power. At first, fixing the generator caused the problem. Later, due to a shortage of wet waste, the plant used to stop working often. Now, even though the unit is working, electricity from there is used for some time for the parking area of the new market yard at night.
The city corporation here was the first in the state to begin generating electricity with biogas. The plant was set up at an expense of Rs 25 lac and the unit was inaugurated in 2013. The purpose was to generate power by using rotten vegetables etc. But because of the lack of willpower on the part of officials and people's representatives, it has been running under loss. If the unit had succeeded, similar units could have been installed at other places in the city and electricity self-reliance could have been possible.
The plan to supply power to Mescom grid and earn money from that has not yet been implemented. The equipment bought for the purpose has been lying in the plant for the last two years. These equipment are sure to become useless by the time the plant begins power supply to the Mescom grid.
The plant needs two tonnes of wet waste every day. Rotten items from Iskcon Akshaya Patra, More vegetable shop, markets etc are collected and converted into biogas. The waste is segregated and put into a mixer machine where they get mixed, turn into powder, reach the pre-digester and turn into gas. It has the capacity to produce 200 units of power but the market does not need so much power. Therefore many feel that it can be supplied to parks and public places within Urwa limits.
Mayor Diwakar Pandeshwar, says he will visit the plant and discuss with officials how best the plant can be utilised.