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2 Waste-to-charcoal plants to be set up in Gurugram, Faridabad

These waste-to-charcoal plants will convert 1,500 tonnes of daily collected waste into charcoal with the MCG and MCF providing 20 acres of land each

Updated on: Jul 21, 2024, 05:42:19 IST
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Municipal Corporations of Gurugram and Faridabad are all set to establish two waste-to-charcoal plants, also known as green coal plants, in the two districts at a cost of ₹500 crore each, said officials. They added that these plants would convert 1,500 tonne of waste daily into charcoal using indigenous technology.

The MoU was signed by A. Mona Sreenivas, commissioner of the Municipal Corporation Faridabad; Narhari Singh Banger, MCG commissioner; and Renu Narang, chief executive officer of NVVNL in the presence of Union Minister Manohar Lal, chief minister Nayab Singh Saini, and minister of state for urban local bodies Subhash Sudha. (HT Photo)
The MoU was signed by A. Mona Sreenivas, commissioner of the Municipal Corporation Faridabad; Narhari Singh Banger, MCG commissioner; and Renu Narang, chief executive officer of NVVNL in the presence of Union Minister Manohar Lal, chief minister Nayab Singh Saini, and minister of state for urban local bodies Subhash Sudha. (HT Photo)

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited (NVVNL), a wholly owned subsidiary of NTPC Limited, and the Municipal Corporations of Gurugram and Faridabad. The signing ceremony took place in Chandigarh on Saturday, with Union minister Manohar Lal, Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini, and minister of state for urban local bodies Subhash Sudha. The MoU was signed by A. Mona Sreenivas, commissioner of the Municipal Corporation Faridabad; Narhari Singh Banger, MCG commissioner; and Renu Narang, chief executive officer of NVVNL.

According to Saini, the green coal plants will be in Bandhwari, Gurugram, and Motuka, Faridabad, costing approximately ₹500 crore for each facility. These plants will convert 1,500 tonne of daily collected waste into charcoal, he said, adding that the MCG and MCF will provide 20 acres of land each for these plants. “NTPC will soon take possession of the land and start setting up the plants, which are expected to be completed in about 30 months. These plants will be based entirely on indigenous technology,” CM Saini said.

The establishment of these plants aims to support Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Swachh Bharat campaign, making Gurugram and Faridabad garbage-free, said Saini. “This torrefied charcoal will be used in power generation plants, reducing the use of mineral coal. He stated that this effort will play a crucial role in significantly enhancing urban cleanliness and promoting environmental sustainability in Gurugram and Faridabad,” Saini added.

Vikas Gupta, former commissioner and secretary of the urban local bodies department said that increasing urbanisation has made waste disposal a major challenge. “To address this problem, we have initiated this step with NVVNL under the guidance of the chief minister. The setting up of these plants in Gurugram and Faridabad will strengthen waste management,” he said.

Meanwhile, Renu Narang, CEO of NVVNL noted that the plants in Haryana would be the largest in India, surpassing the current plant in Varanasi, which produces charcoal from 600 tonne of waste daily. However, the two plants to be established in Haryana will be the largest in India, producing charcoal from 1,500 tonne of waste daily. “If successful, this technology could be implemented in other cities,” she said.

  • Leena Dhankhar
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Leena Dhankhar

    Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More