BMC to set up biogas plant at Deonar

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is in the process of setting up a biogas plant at the Deonar abattoir in collaboration with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) to process all the animal remains. The plant will be of 20 metric ton capacity. Another such plant with a three-and-half ton capacity has been set up at the BMC-run Shatabdi hospital at Govandi.

"A plant had been initially been set up at the abattoir on a pilot project in 2003. It was later decided that it should be implemented on a bigger scale," said Sharad Kale, professor of nuclear agriculture and biotechnology division of BARC, while interacting with media persons on Tuesday.

The plant uses the Nisargruna technology developed by BARC, which is used to handle bio-degradable waste in order to reduce the transport cost of carrying them to the already exhausted dumping grounds in the city and also to deal with the health menace associated with such waste.

"If municipal bodies across the state adopt the technology, they (abattoir) will not only become cleaner and better, but will also generate employment," said Kale.

Kale, in his speech, emphasised the need to segregate waste and recycling them and gave examples of countries like Japan which are clean because they manage waste so efficiently.

"The term waste bin should actually be replaced with resource bin," he said, adding that people should start changing their attitudes on waste segregation now.

While residents complain that they segregate waste at their homes, but the BMC mixes them back while carrying them away, Kale suggested every society can implement a small plant in their societies and utilise the waste generated in a better way.

"The use of the by product biogas will reduce consumption of classic fuel such as petrol, LPG and diesel," Kale said.