Noida: For a city of more than 14 lakh people, the waste problem is growing faster than the space to contain it. More than 120 tonnes of horticulture waste is generated every day, even as its two major dumping grounds are already stretched beyond capacity, leaving the city struggling to find room for what it throws away.This has prompted Noida Authority to set up a horticulture waste-to-compressed-biogas plant in Sector 80 which will promote scientific waste management as well as eco-friendly energy production. The authority’s deputy director, Anand Mohan Singh, said Noida has identified 12 acres of land in Sector 80 for setting up the plant.At present, the waste is transported to dumping grounds in Sectors 32 and 105 and it has created challenges in collection, disposal and decomposition.The dumping site in Sector 32 has faced two dumping ground fires, making it hazardous for residents around the area. In March 2024, a massive fire continued for nearly five days, requiring around 150 firefighters, 15 water tenders and more than 40 lakh litres of water to bring it under control, and another similar blaze broke out in March last year as well.“An agency will be selected and it will be responsible for designing, financing, developing and operating the facility during the contract period, which is 12 years with a possible extension of up to three years,” Singh said.The project involves receiving, segregating and processing all the waste collected and converting it into compressed biogas. The agency will also be responsible for handling residual material and extracting and transporting legacy horticulture waste from existing dumping grounds and other sources to ensure the project’s long-term sustainability.The selected agency will have to make the project operational within 18 months of the appointed date.
