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Bandhwari landfill to get new waste-to-charcoal facility: Khattar

NVVNL has been instructed to coordinate with MCG officials to promptly demarcate and clear designated areas for the project

Updated on: Nov 2, 2024, 05:54:04 IST
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Union minister for energy, housing, and urban affairs, Manohar Lal Khattar, announced plans for a waste-to-charcoal plant at Bandhwari, a measure aimed at reducing the area’s landfill load, during his visit to the landfill on Thursday, officials said.

Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar during his visit at Bandhwari landfill on Thursday (HT Photo)
Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar during his visit at Bandhwari landfill on Thursday (HT Photo)

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed with NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited (NVVNL) for implementing the project, Khattar added.

According to the minister, the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) will allocate 15 acres of land to NVVNL within the next six months for setting up the plant, which will convert waste into charcoal.

NVVNL has been instructed to coordinate with MCG officials to promptly demarcate and clear designated areas for the project. “Machinery installation should begin as soon as land is cleared,” Khattar said.

“Our aim is to transform this plant into a garbage-free facility within a fixed timeframe, aligning with the Swachh Bharat Mission,” Khattar said, adding that efforts are underway to establish sustainable solutions for waste disposal.

The Union minister also urged officials to prioritise cleanliness and waste management during and after Diwali, stressing a rigorous approach to sanitation. Khattar was joined by Haryana’s industry and environment minister Rao Narbir Singh and urban local bodies minister Vipul Goyal. “This collaboration highlights our commitment to cleaner, sustainable urban spaces and aims to set an example for effective waste management practices,” added cabinet minister Rao Narbir Singh.

In July, MCG and the Municipal Corporation of Faridabad announced plans to establish two waste-to-charcoal, or “green coal,” plants in their districts. Each plant will cost an estimated ₹500 crore and will process 1,500 tonnes of waste daily into charcoal using indigenous technology. An MoU for this initiative 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 was held in Chandigarh.

NTPC is expected to begin setting up the plants, which are projected to be operational within about 30 months. “These plants will be based entirely on indigenous technology,” Khattar said. The minister noted that these facilities would be the largest in India, surpassing a similar plant in Varanasi, which processes 600 tonnes of waste daily into charcoal. The planned plants in Haryana would each process 1,500 metric tonnes of waste, significantly increasing the scale of charcoal production from waste.

  • 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