Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced that the central government has set an aim to convert mountains of garbage into green zones within three years.
PM Modi made the following announcement while integrating the “Gobar-Dhan (Bio-CNG) Plant” in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore via video conferencing.
According to an official release from Prime Minister’s office, PM Modi, in his address, stressed the importance of Gobar Dhan and said wet urban household waste and waste from cattle and farm is Gobar Dhan. Gobardhan from waste, clean fuel from Gobar Dhan, energy from clean fuel is a life-affirming chain.
The Prime Minister informed that in the coming two years, Gober Dhan Bio CNG plants will be established in 75 big Municipal bodies. “This campaign will go a long way in making Indian cities clean, pollution-free and in the direction of clean energy”, he said.
“Not only in cities, Gobar Dhan plants are being set up in villages also, getting extra income for the farmers. This will help in dealing with the problem of stray and unsupported cattle along with meeting India’s climate commitments,” he said.
He also underlined the link between cleanliness and tourism and said that cleanliness leads to tourism and gives rise to a new economy. He cited interest in Indore’s success as a clean city as an example of this connection. He added “It is government’s effort to make as many of Indian cities water plus. This is being stressed in the second phase of Swachh Bharat Mission.”
Prime Minister recently launched the Swachh Bharat Mission Urban 2.0, with the overall vision of creating Garbage Free Cities. The Mission is being implemented under the overarching principles of waste to wealth and circular economy for maximising resource recovery – both of which are exemplified in the Indore Bio-CNG plant.
The plant inaugurated has a capacity to treat 550 tonnes per day of segregated wet organic waste. It is expected to produce around 17,000 kg per day of CNG and 100 tonnes per day of organic compost. The plant is based on zero-landfill models, whereby no rejects would be generated. Additionally, the project is expected to yield multiple environmental benefits, viz. reduction in green zones house gas emissions, providing green zones energy along with organic compost as fertiliser.
Indore Clean Energy Pvt Ltd, a Special Purpose Vehicle created to implement the project, was set up by Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) and Indo Enviro Integrated Solutions Ltd. (IEISL) under a Public-Private Partnership model, with a 100% capital investment of ₹150 crores by IEISL. Indore Municipal Corporation will purchase a minimum of 50% of CNG produced by the plant and in a first-of-its-kind initiative, run 400 city buses on the CNG. The balance quantity of CNG will be sold in the open market. The organic compost will help replace chemical fertilisers for agricultural and horticultural purposes.
In his address, PM Modi also paid tributes to Rani Ahilyabai by recalling her link with the city of Indore. He said that mention of Indore reminds of Devi Ahiliyabai Holker and her sense of service.
In the course of time, Indore changed for the better but never lost the inspiration of Devi Ahiliyabai and today Indore also reminds of swachhta and civic duty, the Prime Minister said. He also mentioned the beautiful statue of Devi Ahiliyabai at Kashi Vishwanath Dham.
