Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC), learning from its previous failures, has shifted the proposed location of its bio-briquette plant from Anna Nagar to an area near AIIMS.
The plant, which will process horticultural waste generated from tree pruning and trimming, is expected to become operational from the first week.
The facility will have a capacity to process 20 tonnes of green waste daily. A shredding machine has already arrived at the site, while civil work is expected to be completed within a month. Other machinery will be installed thereafter.
The project was planned at the garbage transfer station in Anna Nagar in 2025. However, no company came forward to undertake the project.
The proposal also faced a setback after a fire broke out at the Reuse Fabric Plant located behind the transfer station.
Following the incident, BMC commissioner Sanskriti Jain withheld approval for setting up another plant at the site.
Waste into briquettes
The new facility will process shrubs, branches and other horticultural waste through shredding and threshing machines to produce a sawdust-like material.
This material will subsequently be used to manufacture bio-briquettes. Tree pruning by the central discom, residents'welfare associations and large institutions contribute significantly to the waste.
For years, the city lacked a dedicated system for scientific disposal of horticultural waste.
In several areas, the waste is reportedly dumped outside municipal limits. The BMC health department imposes fines when illegal dumping is detected.
BMC to earn Rs 50,000
The bio-briquette plant is expected to generate around Rs 50,000 in monthly royalty for the BMC.
Private agency Eco Hygiene will bear the capital expenditure (CAPEX) worth Rs 2 crore and undertake operation and maintenance (O&M) of the facility.
Burning of green waste to be curbed
The project is also expected to help address air pollution caused by the open burning of shrubs and other green waste, particularly during winter.
BMC officials hope that scientific processing of horticultural waste will reduce open dumping and burning while providing a sustainable method of waste management.
