Quality testing of ash from Bidadi plant under way; to be used in making construction materials
Around 10,621 tonnes of ash has been generated at the Karnataka Power Corporation Limited's (KPCL) first of its kind waste-to-energy (WtE) plant in Bidadi until the end of April. While this ash, which remains after the incineration of waste for energy is being disposed of into landfills so far, the KPCL plans to generate some revenue by selling this ash to cement factories.
Among the ash generated at the plant, 9,214 tonnes have been categorised as bottom ash, which is collected, and 1,407 tonnes have been categorised as fly ash, which is released into the atmosphere after treatment. The ash generated in coal plants is generally used in cement factories. Now, tests are being conducted to find out if the ash from the WtE plant can be used for the same purpose.
A sample of ash from the plant is being tested by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) to analyse if its quality is suitable for being used in the making of construction materials.
'The sample has been taken by the IISc team. If the quality is equivalent to that of coal ash, then it can be used by cement factories,' said Satish Kumar H., executive engineer (Bidadi), KPC Gas Power Corporation Limited.
Ever since the plant was commissioned, residents nearby and others have raised concerns about the hazardous nature of the ash, especially fly ash. Clarifying on this, Mr. Kumar said: 'In the evaporation cooler of the plant, we douse the ash with lime, ammonia, and activated carbon. All the gases that are hazardous to the atmosphere are nullified in this process. The officials from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) recently visited and checked all the parameters and confirmed it was not hazardous.'
A scientist from IISc said that the testing is still in the initial stage. 'We have collected the sample as part of a systematic study of technologies like the WtE in Bidadi across India. We will explore how the ash can be used through the study,' said Prakash Singh, from the Centre for Sustainable Technologies, IISc.
Logistics a challenge
Gaurav Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary, Energy Department and the managing director of KPCL, said that while the testing is under way, the logistics for the transportation of the ash is yet to be figured out.
'There are no cement factories in the southern parts of the State, and we might have to incur a substantial cost to transport the ash to the factories, which are far. We are exploring options for the same without incurring financial strain,' Mr. Gupta said.
For now, the bottom ash is being disposed of in landfills by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), in association with whom the plant has been set up.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
Ghaziabad monsoon mess: Drains still dirty, silt left on roads; waterlogging fears rise, residents blame poor planning
GHAZIABAD: As monsoon approaches, drains across Ghaziabad have remained uncleaned, raising concerns about potential waterlogging and traffic disruptions. Areas such as Nehru Nagar, Vijay Nagar, Nandgram, and Meerut Road, among others, await drain cleaning. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In locations where cleaning has occurred, the removed silt remains uncollected on roadsides. 'Big drains are clogged with dirt, garbage, and construction and demolition (C&D) waste,' said Rakesh Kumar, a resident of Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad. Kumar said GMC claims to be spending Rs 4 to 5 crore on cleaning the drains, but during monsoon, waterlogging exposes the ground reality. Sumit Tyagi, a resident of Nandgram, notes that most of the drains that flow through the city's markets are encroached upon. GMC municipal health officer Dr Mithilesh Kumar says, though encroachment is a deterrent, cleaning of drains is underway. 'Cleaning of big drains is being done regularly. The contractor is being paid only after cleaning the drain. At some places, due to encroachment, cleaning of drains is becoming difficult, but things are being handled,' said Kumar. Apart from the lack of drain cleaning, residents also complain about leftover silt on roadsides in some places where cleaning has been undertaken. 'Some smaller drains and sewers have been cleaned in parts of Vaishali, Vasundhara, Shaheed Nagar, Indirapuram, etc. But filth from the drains has been taken out and left on the roads. This filth has been lying on the roadside for a long time. Over time, this silt tends to slide back into the drain, adding to the muck,' said Surendra Singh from Vasundhara. Officials from GMC maintain that the silt is left on the roadsides to dry, and only after that is it picked up. Also, measures for installing pumps in low-lying areas are taken to drain out waterlogged areas during the monsoon.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
North Chennai residents to pitch greener alternatives to WtE plant
Chennai: With growing resistance to the proposed waste-to-energy (WtE) plant at Kodungaiyur, the Federation of North Chennai Residents Welfare Associations (FNCRWA) is preparing to submit a detailed proposal advocating environmentally sustainable waste management practices. At the heart of their campaign is the call to abandon the incinerator-based model in favour of decentralized, non-polluting systems. Drawing from working models in Kerala and other states, the federation has proposed biogas generation at the household and community level, city-wide decentralized composting, plastic recycling centres, and Resource Recovery Centres (RRCs) to sort and manage waste before it reaches landfills. Last week, the federation and allied environmentalists submitted a petition to mayor Priya, requesting that the WtE plant be scrapped. The mayor, while acknowledging public opposition, asked them to provide an actionable plan outlining viable alternatives, particularly for handling non-recyclable plastics. Since then, FNCRWA worked on a strategy paper that will be formally submitted to Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) next month. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Hamburg: GEERS sucht 700 Testhörer für Hörgeräte ohne Zuzahlung GEERS Undo "Kerala's success with household-level biogas units shows that we don't have to burn waste to manage it," said FNCRWA president T K Shanmugam. "Instead of one massive plant, Chennai can invest in 1,000 smaller composting units and recycling hubs spread across the city." The federation says that incineration not only generates toxic emissions but also leaves behind large volumes of ash that need further disposal. Environmentalist Geo Damien from Poovulagin Nanbargal said that at least 10% of Chennai's plastic waste cannot be recycled or incinerated efficiently. "That fraction alone would produce 300 tonnes of toxic ash. Instead of burning it, the city can either isolate it in secure landfills or send it to cement factories where it can be co-processed with minimal residue. " FNCRWA says the shift to sustainable methods is not only technically feasible but essential for the health and future of North Chennai residents, who have long borne the burden of the city's waste.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Century-old school struggles without permanent teachers despite good admissions
1 2 Mangaluru: The plight of the century-old Tenkayedapadavu Higher Primary School is different from that of usual govt schools in the district. Despite seeing good admissions, the school lacks permanent teachers. The aided school has been functioning without permanent teachers for the last two academic years. After the retirement of the headmaster, Krishna Naik, in May 2022, the govt did not appoint any teachers here, making it a teacher-less school since then. Currently, it is managed by guest teachers appointed by the SDMC and one through the Jnana Deepa programme. Prasad Kumar M, an SDMC member of the school, shared that the school will complete 100 years in 2026. In the past, the school had a total of over 500 students, which has now reduced to 54, studying from Class I to Class VII. "However, despite having a substantial number of admissions, the education department is unwilling to provide us with one or two permanent teachers. After the retirement of Naik, Sannolli UD, a teacher at the Sri Niranjan Swamy Aided Higher Primary School, Sunkadakatte, was deputed for a few days a week. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo After the retirement of the permanent teacher at Sunkadakatte, she stopped coming, and from last year, there has been no permanent teacher. Due to competition from English medium and private schools, the number of students has been declining year by year. In 2023-24, the number of students was 62, in 2024-25 it was 57, and in 2025-26 it was 54. "We have reached out to our MLA, DDPI, and BEO in the past, but no positive response was received. This academic year, we are again trying our luck to get a permanent teacher and save this school from closure. There is hope for more admissions if the govt appoints permanent teachers," said Kumar, adding that they have plans to open a kindergarten. With no permanent teachers, the school is managed by three guest teachers. With the cooperation of the SDMC and parents, two guest teachers have been working since 2018-19. They are paid by the SDMC, where money is collected from parents and locals. One teacher has been working under the 'Jnana Deepa' project of Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (SKDRDP). "Whenever we approached govt officials, they stated that according to govt education policy, it does not appoint guest teachers for aided schools," said Kumar, demanding that aided schools too need to survive. HR Eshwara, BEO, South, said that the office has sent information about teacher-less aided primary and high schools to the govt. The process of teacher recruitment and appointment is ongoing, he added.
