Hubballi: Even as a plant to convert dry waste into torrefied charcoal is under construction, plans are underway to establish a facility for producing compressed biogas (CBG) from wet waste generated in the twin cities.
Currently, the twin cities produce around 210 tonnes of wet waste daily. Under the Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) initiative of the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has expressed interest in setting up a CBG plant. For this, the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) must provide 10 acres of land and supply 144 tonnes of wet waste daily. If implemented, this project is expected to offer a sustainable and eco-friendly solution for wet waste management, especially amid rising fuel demands. The civic body is already converting a portion of wet waste into compost.
BPCL’s interest in the project follows a survey and feasibility report. The proposed plant is designed to process 144 tonnes of wet waste daily to produce five tonnes of CBG. HDMC officials have proposed giving 10 acres of land on a free lease for 25 years to BPCL at Shivalli village, where the corporation owns 67 acres of land. The HDMC’s general body must approve the proposal, which includes providing land, wet waste, and cooperation with BPCL.
If approved, BPCL will invest Rs 68 crore in setting up the plant and Rs 7.53 crore annually for maintenance, officials said. According to Malikarjun B M, HDMC’s Executive Engineer for Solid Waste Management, the CBG plant will require wet waste excluding leaves and branches. Transportation costs are expected to remain low as waste can be transported in 20-tonne trucks. The remaining wet waste can continue to be converted into compost using existing window units.
The HDMC has already reserved 27 acres at Shivalli for a sanitary landfill site and leachate treatment plant at a cost of Rs 4.39 crore, along with five acres for a construction and demolition debris treatment plant and 25 acres for a green belt. Officials noted that 10 acres of land are still available for the CBG plant.
Once the HDMC’s general body approves the proposal, formalities will proceed quickly, and the plant is expected to be operational within two years following approval from the state cabinet.
Meanwhile, NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam (NVVN) is setting up a plant near Gabbur to convert dry waste into torrefied charcoal. The facility is being constructed on 12 acres of land provided by HDMC. The civic body will supply 200 tonnes of combustible waste and 25 KL of water daily to the plant.
“Civil works for the plant have started, and it is expected to be operational within a year,” said HDMC Commissioner Ishwar Ullagaddi.
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