In order to process biodegradable municipal solid waste and to produce electricity, organic compost, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) will soon set up four bio-methanation plants and four aerobic drum composters.
SDMC Commissioner Puneet Kumar Goel said the bio-methanation plant and aerobic drum composter are “plug and play model” and can be shifted to another site at any time. “These are zero discharged plants with the minimal requirement of water for cleaning. The cost of one bio-methanation plant is 174 lakh whereas of aerobic drum composter it is 36.5 lakh,” Goel said.
With the move, the civic body will process five metric ton biodegradable waste daily in a single bio-methanation plant, he said, adding that these plants will also generate electricity and 250 Kwh will be fed to grid through net metering.
A senior SDMC official said that there are a number of environmental benefits of these two plants. “Disposal of municipal solid waste in a scientific manner as per SWM rules 2016, promotion of the centralization of disposal, reduction of a load at SLF sites, reduction in emission of carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere during transportation and reduction in consumption of fossil fuels while generation of electricity,” he said.
SDMC Mayor Narendra Chawla said that SDMC has been working vigorously to contain pollution level and its efforts are not just symbolic but result oriented.
To manage solid waste, Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Anil Baijal inaugurated one aerobic composter, one bio-methanation plant and one affluent treatment plant at Punjabi Bagh on Saturday. Appreciating the efforts of SDMC in establishing such plants, said it will go a long way in the production of enriched organic manure, generation of electricity and treatment of effluent water for the purposes of irrigation in its parks.
He asked other local bodies to follow the footstep of SDMC to manage waste. Delhi produces over 15,000 tonnes per day (TPD) of solid waste I which SDMC’s share is approximately 4,000 MT tonne. All three landfill sites at Bhalswa, Okhla and Ghazipur, with a collective capacity of 4,600 MTD are operating beyond their saturation point and also posing “risk to human lives”.