GAIL to set up compressed biogas plants in 15 districts

Bengaluru: In an effort to improve waste management in districts apart from Bengaluru, the state government is likely to approve a proposal by GAIL Gas Limited (GGL), a central public sector undertaking, to set up Compressed BioGas (CBG) plants in 15 districts across the state. Many of these districts do not have a well-planned waste management system and this could prove to be a problem in the future, government sources said.

GAIL officials who met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar are said to have put forth the proposal and sought the government’s approval. According to sources, the government is also keen on approving these centres since many districts are slowly developing, and the quantity of waste produced is increasing drastically.

"We have seen how waste management has become a herculean task in Bengaluru. We do not want the same situation in other districts. It is important that we put in place measures now. And the CM was particularly keen on implementing it, especially in Mandya, Mysuru and Ramanagara,”  a source privy to the meeting said.

According to the proposal, GAIL will set up 100 TPD (tonnes per day) plants in 15 districts at an estimated cost of Rs 450 crore and will also bear the operation costs.

“The municipalities or the rural development department will have to provide them land and supply organic wet waste,” a senior official who has studied the proposal said. The gas produced is expected to be used by GAIL.

As these districts could have large agricultural areas under them, the plants will also process agricultural waste. "In North India, managing agricultural waste has also become difficult. Such a situation might come up here as well. These plants will help us to be better prepared with respect to waste management," the official said.

The chief minister has now directed the officials to form a task force and identify districts where the plants can be set up. Consequently, the officials are looking at waste generation in districts across the state and are conducting preliminary meetings with district administrations.

Given that many waste processing plants are opposed by the residents around them owing to the stench, the government has instructed the GAIL to ensure that all the plants set up by them are odourless, produce no effluents and have zero discharge.

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