MCD, NDDB to sign MoU for dairy waste-to-CNG projects along Yamuna

New Delhi, Jul 14 (PTI) The MCD and the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) are set to sign an MoU this week to convert waste from dairy colonies into CNG and organic manure as part of efforts to prevent cattle waste from flowing into the Yamuna, officials said on Tuesday. The NDDB, which functions under the Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, will work with the civic body to scientifically process dung generated by dairy farms and gaushalas located near the river. According to officials, the 10-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and NDDB aims to ensure that cattle waste, which currently enters the Yamuna through drains, is instead collected and transported directly to biogas and manure plants. The decision follows a recent review meeting on the Yamuna rejuvenation programme, where officials stressed the need for coordinated action by the governments of Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, along with the concerned central ministries, instead of working in isolation. The meeting held earlier in June had emphasised expediting desilting of the Yamuna and using the extracted silt for manufacturing purposes so that it does not wash back into the river during the monsoon. As part of the proposed dairy waste management plan, 10 biogas plants with a combined processing capacity of around 1,500 tonnes per day have been proposed across Delhi. These include 200-tonne-per-day plants at Ghazipur, Bhalswa, Mangolpuri, Rohini Sector 3 and Sagarpur; 100-tonne-per-day facilities at Sarita Vihar and Pitampura; 75-tonne-per-day plants at Masoodpur and Madanpur Khadar; and a 50-tonne-per-day plant at Sri Ram Colony near Khajuri Khas. Further, strict monitoring of sewage treatment plants (STPs), industrial discharge and drains was also discussed, with an emphasis on measurable outcomes. Progress of the Yamuna rejuvenation programme will now be reviewed every 20 days, the officials said. The plants are proposed to be developed over about 35 acres. Six of the identified sites belong to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), and letters seeking allotment of the land have already been issued, the officials said. The MCD has also proposed drainage improvement works and decentralised sewage treatment plants (DSTPs) in several dairy colonies at an estimated cost of around Rs 35 crore. The 100-kilolitre-per-day treatment plants are planned at Nangli, Goyla, Kakrola, Ghogha, Bhalswa and Jharoda dairy colonies, among others. Officials said the projects will include the construction of new drains and sedimentation chambers to separate cattle dung from wastewater before treatment. In colonies where the drainage network has deteriorated, redevelopment of the system has also been proposed. PTI VBH VBH KSS KSS