The Haryana government has taken a major step towards transforming urban waste management by moving ahead with the establishment of four Integrated Waste-to-Energy Plants across the state.
The government has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with OIL Green Energy Limited for the development of these four projects.
Once operational, the plants are expected to scientifically process around 5,000 tonnes of waste every day and generate at least 50 MW of energy.
Four Clusters and Their Targets
- Gurugram: 2,000 tonnes/day → 20 MW
- Faridabad: 1,600 tonnes/day → 16 MW
- Ambala: 900 tonnes/day → 9 MW
- Hisar: 500 tonnes/day → 5 MW
The largest project will be established in Gurugram, with a proposed processing capacity of 2,000 tonnes of waste per day and an estimated energy generation capacity of 20 MW.
According to the government, all four plants are expected to become operational by October 2028.
Scientific Waste Processing Instead of Simply Burning Waste
The proposed model will focus on scientific processing and segregation of waste rather than simply burning mixed municipal waste.
Under the proposed system, waste will first undergo scientific pre-processing and segregation. Wet waste is expected to be used for producing biogas or Compressed Biogas (CBG), while non-recyclable dry waste will be utilised for energy generation.
This approach is aimed at improving waste utilisation while reducing the amount of waste ultimately sent to landfills.
Proposed Funding Model
The capital cost of the projects is proposed to be shared among the central government, state government/urban local bodies and OIL Green Energy Limited.
The proposed funding structure includes:
- 25%: Central Government
- 25%: State Government/Urban Local Bodies
- 50%: OIL Green Energy Limited
The projects will also receive financial support under the Centre’s Urban Challenge Fund.
Chief Minister Calls It a Step Towards ‘Waste to Wealth’
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has described the initiative as a major step towards the state’s ‘Waste to Wealth’ vision.
The broader objective is to build a Haryana where massive waste dumps are no longer a defining feature of its cities, and instead, waste is converted into useful energy and resources.
Why Is This Particularly Important for Gurugram?
Gurugram is set to receive the state’s largest Waste-to-Energy project, with a capacity to process approximately 2,000 tonnes of waste every day.
For a rapidly growing city like Gurugram, the project could become an important piece of infrastructure for addressing the city’s long-standing waste management challenges while simultaneously creating an additional source of energy.
Converting waste into energy and useful resources presents a significant opportunity for Haryana, particularly its rapidly urbanising cities.
However, the real challenge will lie in source segregation, scientific waste collection, continuous monitoring and timely execution of the projects.
The goal should not be limited to generating 20 MW of electricity in Gurugram.
The bigger goal should be to free Gurugram from its growing mountains of waste and build a cleaner, more sustainable city for the future.
