Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation on Monday signed an agreement with Nexband Renewables to produce biofuel from vegetable waste generated in the city, marking a step toward better waste management and clean energy use, The New Indian Express reported.
Under the agreement, a 150-tonne-per-day compressed biogas (CBG) plant will be set up on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar. The facility is expected to produce around 6,000 kg of automobile-grade bio-CNG daily.
The plant will also generate about 16 tonnes per day of solid organic fertiliser and 60 tonnes per day of liquid organic fertiliser, which can be used to improve soil health and support sustainable farming.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Mayor Sulochana Das. According to civic officials, the plant will be set up at Khuntabandha in Begunia area of Khurda district. It will use both vegetable waste and Napier grass as raw material.
BMC Deputy Commissioner for Sanitation N. Ganesh Babu said the civic body will begin supplying vegetable waste from markets, haats and bulk waste generators from July 1. Around 50 tonnes of vegetable waste will be made available daily, depending on seasonal variations.
The waste will be segregated at source and transported by the civic body to designated collection points, from where the company will lift it for processing. Initial collection points include markets at Unit-I, Unit-IV and Damana, along with the temporary transit station near Sainik School.
Officials said the company will handle collection, transportation and processing at its own cost and risk. Waste must be lifted within 24 hours to prevent accumulation, while strict environmental standards will be followed to avoid spillage, odour or pollution.
The initiative is expected to reduce the load on existing waste handling facilities by diverting biodegradable waste for scientific processing. It will also help improve cleanliness in city markets and public spaces.
In addition, the project is likely to benefit local farmers by creating new income opportunities through the cultivation of Napier grass.
Earlier, the civic body had also signed an agreement with Oil India Limited to set up another CBG plant at Meherpalli, which will process 200 tonnes of segregated municipal solid waste.
