Gorakhpur to get country's first integrated waste management city by September 2025

Gorakhpur: Gorakhpur is set to establish the country's first Integrated Waste Management City-cum-Learning Centre by September 2025, aimed at making the city garbage-free and promoting sustainable waste management through circular economy model.

Spread across 40 acres in Suthni village, Sahjanwa, the ambitious project will process various types of waste while generating charcoal and Bio-CNG, Gorakhpur Municipal Commissioner (GMC) Gaurav Sogarwal said.

The initiative is expected to create jobs, boost revenue and serve as a learning hub for technical expertise, he said.

Sogarwal said that the model has been presented by him in Vishakhapatnam and Delhi and it will be showcased by the Ministry of Environment at the National Chief Secretaries' Conference in Delhi from December 13 to 15.

Inputs from the Administrative Staff College of India, Hyderabad, are being incorporated to enhance its innovative quotient, he said. The centre will process a wide range of waste types, including biomedical, e-waste, battery, tyre, terracotta, vehicle scrap, plastic, domestic hazardous, industrial, and organic waste, the municipal commissioner said.

It will also serve as a learning centre and it will provide technical expertise, he added.

According to Sogarwal, three dedicated plants are planned, a Dry Waste Plant with a capacity of 500 tons per day and it will produce charcoal.

A memorandum of understanding has been signed with National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), with an investment of Rs 300 crore, ensuring revenue generation and employment opportunities, he said.

The second plant is a Wet Waste Plant which will be a 200 ton-per-day facility producing Bio-CNG under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model, potentially saving the GMC an estimated Rs 12-15 crore monthly on vehicle fuel costs, he said.

The final is a Hazardous Waste Plant, a separate facility which will process domestic hazardous waste using environmentally-friendly methods. Sogarwal said.

The project will not only manage Gorakhpur's waste, but will cater to the needs of eight neighboring urban local bodies (ULBs), marking a significant stride toward regional sustainability, he said.