The Kochi corporation will distribute portable biogas plants to 35 government schools within its limits. In the initial phase, the plant, which costs about Rs 13,000 each, will be installed only in government schools. This will be later extended to aided schools.
Chairman of the education standing committee R Thyagarajan said, "The project will be launched soon. The expenses will be met by the government's annual plan fund. While the government provides a subsidy of 50%, the corporation will give 25% as subsidy. The schools will have to bear the rest of the cost."
The chairman said the biogas generated from organic waste can be utilized for 90 minutes daily by the kitchen. "We have already equipped government schools with smart classrooms, laboratory facilities and distributed benches and desks. The new project is aimed at managing waste in schools, especially those which have the midday meal scheme," he added.
Saraswathy M E, headmistress of the Government Higher Secondary School for Girls, Ernakulam, said, "We have to serve midday meals to 600 students daily. We have been finding it difficult to treat waste generated from it. So the plant will be of great use for us."
"The corporation has informed us about the plan to install biogas plants in schools. Though we installed a biogas plant in 2007, it stopped functioning in 2010. Currently, the organic waste generated in our school is sourced by the agriculture department," said Telma Mendes, principal, Government Higher Secondary School, Elamakkara.
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