Overflowing garbage from the bins at street corners can be nauseating, but a vast majority seem to have turned a blind eye to it. If only such sights go missing, and the Clean India mission becomes a reality….

It could be a dream come true, but Manickam Athappa Gounder, founder-Chairman, MAK India, has avowed to make it happen, albeit in a small way.

The Coimbatore-based company has developed a solution for treating multiple solid waste — a green incinerator, which works on vaporisation and incineration technologies.

“Waste management is both a challenge and opportunity. We at MAK India have strived to evolve a solution for every pollution-related issue,” says Athappa Gounder.

Studies show that an estimated 62 million tonnes of municipal solid waste is generated every year, of which only around 43 million tonnes (of waste) is collected, 11.7 million tonnes treated and close to 31 million tonnes dumped in landfill sites. The study also found a corresponding increase in waste generation with increase in the buying power of the populace in a booming economy.

How it works

Raman Sivakumar, Chief Scientist, MAK India, said that the company, after three years of research developed and installed incinerators – one each in Erode district and another at Manali in Chennai (an on-going project) for treating solid waste. The third plant is to be installed in the State shortly, he added.

The plant would segregate the bio-degradable and non-degradable waste, while the bio-degradable waste is processed and converted into organic manure, the non-bio-degradable waste is processed to generate cement-like ash and granulated carbon.

The ash can be processed further and used in making of pavement blocks, while the granulated carbon has several applications. The steam can be recovered and re-used.

“This way, we ensure that zero waste is generated in treating the solid waste. The entire process is pollution-free, and the by-products can rejuvenate Mother Earth”.

Tying up with civic bodies

While stating that such initiatives would have to be in a PPP (Public-Private-Partnership) mode without further delay, the Scientist added, “if we continue to dump the landfills, by 2100, it would become impossible for humans to live on Earth.”

The company is looking at entering into long-term agreement with civic bodies for management of solid waste. “We prefer an end-to-end contract – install, operate and maintain the plant.”

On investment, Sivakumar said “ ₹ 9.5 crore would be needed to treat 100 tonnes of solid waste, in say four acres of land”.

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