Civic bodies focus on dairy colonies to stop Yamuna waste inflow in Delhi

Officials said that these projects will fulfil the civic authorities’ plan to treat cattle excrement within dairy colonies

New Delhi

Once operational, new treatment plants will have a cumulative capacity to treat 600 tonnes of waste every day across the dairy colonies of Nangli, Kakrola, Goyla, Ghoha, Shahbad Dairy, Jharoda, and Bhalswa. (Representational photo)

To stop dairy waste from entering the Yamuna, as part of the river rejuvenation plan, Delhi’s municipal agencies are establishing new treatment facilities and redeveloping the drainage network in designated dairy colonies, officials aware of the development said.

The first plant is likely to be made operational in Nangli, northwest Delhi, next month and chief minister Rekha Gupta is expected to inaugurate the 200-tonne-per-day biogas plant in the run-up to Independence Day, they said.

“This facility is one of three biogas plants established to process dairy waste. The additional plants are situated at Goyla Dairy and Nangli Sakrawati. These installations will address the issue of unauthorised dairy operations and ensure proper scientific disposal of cow dung, which previously ended up in Yamuna through drains or at landfill sites,” a municipal official said, requesting not to be named.

Officials said that these projects will fulfil the civic authorities’ plan to treat cattle excrement within dairy colonies, and that the Delhi government also reviewed its progress on July 12. According to a report by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the corporation has initiated cow dung-based biogas plants in Ghogha, Goyla, and Nangli Sakrwati, which will each process 200 tonnes of cattle waste daily.

The Nangli plant is expected to be completed by August, while the Goyla and Ghogha plants are likely to be made operational by August 2026. “As per the agreement, the corporation is providing the land for free for this project, and the MCD will provide segregated biodegradable waste (wet waste) to the plant as per Solid Waste Management Rules 2016,” the MCD official cited above said.

Once operational, these plants will have a cumulative capacity to treat 600 tonnes of waste every day across the dairy colonies of Nangli, Kakrola, Goyla, Ghoha, Shahbad Dairy, Jharoda, and Bhalswa.

A second senior MCD official said that treating 200 tonnes per day of municipal solid waste may lead to the production of 8,000 kilograms per day of compressed gas, 30 tonnes per day of city compost, 100 KL (kilolitres) per day of wet slurry. “The MCD may utilise the manure at its nurseries, gardens and green belts at a mutually decided cost, or the operator may be allowed to sell it in the open market after improving its quality,” the official said.

The project is conceived under the public-private partnership mode, under which the contractor will run the plant for a period of 20 years.

The issue was also flagged in the recent standing committee meeting of the MCD, wherein civic officials apprised the committee that there are 11 dairy colonies in Delhi, of which seven fall under the MCD’s jurisdiction.

“We are also making a comprehensive plan to redevelop the drainage system of these colonies so that the cow dung does not get mixed with the drainage system. All seven dairy colonies will see developmental work to prevent pollution,” the second official said.

MCD officials said they have sought funding of ₹15 crore from the Delhi government for the same.