MCD plans 10 biogas plants to curb dairy waste flow into Yamuna

MCD and Delhi government have been directed to work in collaboration with the National Dairy Development Board to manage the waste.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has prepared an action plan to prevent dairy waste from reaching Yamuna via city’s drains. The project includes setting up of ten biogas plants, nine waste water treatment facilities, carrying out overhaul of drainage in dairy colonies along with development of sedimentation chambers, senior civic officials said.

MCD also proposed decentralised sewage treatment plant projects in dairy colonies with expenditure of around ₹34 crore. (HT archive)

MCD and Delhi government have been directed to work in collaboration with the National Dairy Development Board to manage the waste produced by dairies and cow shelters.

The civic body in September last year operationalised its first biogas plant at southwest Delhi’s Nangli dairy which can process 200 tonnes of dairy (TPD) waste every day while two more plants are under construction at Goyla dairy and Ghogha dairy.

As per the new action plan, the ten proposed biogas plants are: a 200 TPD plant each in Ghazipur dairy and Bhalswa dairy which will be spread over 10 acre land, a 75 TPD facility each in Masoodpur dairy and Madanpur Khadar, 100 TPD plant at Sarita Vihar, 200 TPD plant at Mangolpuri near Outer Ring Road, 100 TPD plant Pitampura, 200 TPD plants each at Sector 3 Rohini and Sagarpur and a smaller 50 TPD plant in Sri Ram Colony near Khajuri Khas.

HT graphic

The civic body has also proposed drainage overhaul and decentralised sewage treatment plant projects in dairy colonies with cumulative expenditure of around ₹34 crore. DSTPs with 100 KLD (kilolitre per day) treatment capacity will be set up in Nangli dairy farm, Goyla dairy, Kakrola dairy, Ghogha dairy, Bhalswa dairy, Jharoda dairy among other places. “These projects will also include development of new drains and sedimentation chambers so that cattle dung ending up in drains can be separated, collected and treated. In some dairy colonies, the drainage system has become defunct, therefore we have also proposed redevelopment of the drains,” an official said.

Tackling dairy waste was also discussed in Yamuna rejuvenation action plan finalised in a meeting chaired by Union home minsiter Amit Shah on July 11, 2025. Shah had chaired a high level review meeting on Yamuna rejuvenation in Delhi with senior leaders including chief minister Rekha Gupta at the North Block where he emphasized on multi-pronged focus such as increasing the sewage treatment plants capacity, STPs outflow quality testing, promoting e-flow in Yamuna, developing a comprehensive water supply plan, managing dairy waste, and checking water pollution.