New Delhi: In a push to tackle one of the key sources of pollution entering Yamuna, chief minister Rekha Gupta Monday inaugurated a Rs 16-crore biogas plant at Goyla Dairy in southwest Delhi, which will daily process 200 metric tonnes of cow dung generated in the area and convert it into clean fuel and organic fertiliser.The plant will produce around 5.6 tonnes of compressed biogas every day, which will be supplied to Indraprastha Gas Limited, while livestock owners will be paid for the cow dung collected from their dairies.“No biogas plant was set up in Delhi for years, leaving the problem of proper cow dung management unresolved. The current govt has started operations at three biogas plants in the past 18 months, while work is underway to establish six more,” Gupta said. “Such initiatives promote clean energy while strengthening efforts towards environmental protection and energy self-reliance and will help turn waste management challenges into opportunities and contribute significantly to building a clean, green and sustainable Delhi,” she added.The plant is expected to generate around 14,000 cubic metres of raw biogas and approximately 5.6 tonnes of purified compressed biogas every day. The biogas slurry left after processing will be used as organic fertiliser, helping improve soil fertility.The project is part of govt’s broader plan to improve waste management in dairy colonies, prevent untreated dung from flowing into drains and Yamuna, and turn waste into an economic resource.Gupta also said Rs 50 crore had been allocated to construct drains and improve drainage systems in Delhi’s dairy colonies. “Tackling pollution at its source is essential to cleaning Yamuna. Effective action must be taken against the factors that cause pollutants to reach it. Delhi govt is moving forward with a focus on sanitation, environmental protection and the efficient use of resources,” she said, urging people to keep the city clean.
