New Delhi: Nearly four years after it was proposed, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has set up an ingesta plant at the Ghazipur slaughterhouse to improve sanitation and ensure environmental compliance.The plant is designed to manage and process undigested animal waste and dung by converting these into bio-fertiliser. The project is an environmental initiative intended to reduce the volume of waste sent to landfills and to meet National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) norms. Officials said that the department conducted a trial run recently, and its full operations are expected to begin in a month.“A team from IIT inspected the machinery to ensure all equipment is working efficiently. Before that, agencies such as Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) also visited the plant to ensure compliance with norms. The facility will be capable of processing nine tonnes of waste per hour,” an official said.At present, the paunch waste generated from the slaughterhouse is mostly dumped at landfill sites, leading to unhygienic conditions and environmental concerns.“This project… faced significant delays before being approved and was pushed forward for completion,” an official said.In May 2022, the Ghazipur slaughterhouse in east Delhi was shut down after DPCC withdrew its consent to operate, citing National Green Tribunal’s orders and violations of environmental norms. It was later allowed to reopen on July 6, 2022, following NGT’s directions to meet compliance requirements within a fixed timeline, including the installation of ingesta and reverse osmosis (RO) plants.While the RO plant was installed by the concessionaire under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, the ingesta plant project remained pending for several years. “MCD did not incur any cost for the RO or nano-filtration plant. It was funded by the lessee, who is responsible for its maintenance. The system recycles treated water from the effluent treatment plant and ensures zero discharge,” the official said.After multiple attempts, MCD identified an agency in 2024. “The project cost was around Rs 6 crore and required approval from the standing committee. It was cleared in July 2025,” the official added.The facility handles the slaughter of goats, sheep and buffaloes to meet the city’s domestic demand. During a hearing on Oct 30, NGT, which has been monitoring the matter, noted that MCD has initiated the installation. The tribunal directed DPCC to submit a compliance report to its registrar general by Jan 31
