Patna Launches Major Waste Management Initiative to Reclaim Land
Patna Municipal Corporation has initiated a significant bio-remediation and bio-mining project at Ramchak Bairiya. This large-scale effort aims to reclaim land for constructing a new Integrated Solid Waste Management facility.
Project Details and Funding
The project operates under the Swachh Bharat Mission with an estimated cost of Rs 1,000 crore. It will process municipal waste from Patna and twelve surrounding urban local bodies. The corporation has floated an online tender for private players, with bidding scheduled to conclude on January 27.
Funding comes from multiple sources. The central government provides forty percent of the project cost. Private investors will contribute the remaining sixty percent.
Current Clearing Operations
A senior PMC executive explained the ongoing work. The clearing operation targets over eight lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste accumulated at the site during the past three years. This reclamation process began four months ago and should finish by June this year.
The operation will free up sixty-two acres of land for constructing the ISWM facility. Once functional, this site will rank among India's first waste management facilities capable of processing one hundred percent of collected waste.
Waste Segregation Process
During the current reclamation phase, workers segregate legacy waste into three distinct categories.
- Refuse-derived fuel (RDF) goes to cement and thermal power plants for use as fuel.
- Bio-soil comes from biodegradable materials that decompose into organic manure for agriculture or as filler for low-lying areas.
- Inert waste includes rocks, boulders, and ceramics used as construction filling materials.
Construction Timeline
Construction of the ISWM facility will start immediately after completing land reclamation at Ramchak Bairiya. Rajan Sinha, additional municipal commissioner, provided details about the timeline.
Development will take over a year from construction start to full operation. Officials expect the facility to become operational by the beginning of 2028.
Future Waste Processing
The new facility will process waste using advanced methods once active.
Workers will convert wet waste into compost and compressed biogas for fuel. Dry waste will go to a material recovery facility for segregation into recyclable and non-recyclable streams.
Recyclable materials will transform into granules for producing items like slippers and raincoats. Non-recyclable dry waste that cannot be composted will process as RDF to generate fifteen megawatts of electricity for Patna's power grid.
This comprehensive approach represents a major step forward in Patna's waste management infrastructure. The project addresses both historical waste accumulation and future processing needs through sustainable methods.
