Daijiworld Media Network - Lucknow
Lucknow, Jan 21: With the commissioning of the Shivari Solid Waste Management Plant, Lucknow has achieved a major milestone in urban sustainability by attaining 100 per cent scientific processing of municipal solid waste under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U).
Officials of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) said Lucknow’s waste management model reflected a strong commitment to circular economy principles by maximising resource recovery, minimising legacy waste and promoting reuse of recyclables. They described the initiatives of the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) as a model for other cities in India and abroad.
The newly launched Shivari plant has a processing capacity of 700 metric tonnes (MT) per day. With this addition, and the two existing facilities, LMC can now scientifically process the city’s entire daily waste generation of over 2,100 MT, eliminating open dumping.
Lucknow generates around 2,000 MT of waste every day. To handle this, LMC, in partnership with Bhumi Green Energy, has established three waste processing plants of 700 MT per day capacity each. Waste is segregated into organic and inorganic fractions, with organic waste converted into compost and biogas, while inorganic waste is recycled or processed into Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) for use in cement and paper industries.
Officials said door-to-door waste collection efficiency in the city has improved to 96.53 per cent, while source segregation levels have crossed 70 per cent. With the inauguration of the third fresh waste processing facility at Shivari, Lucknow has become the first city in Uttar Pradesh to achieve 100 per cent scientific processing of municipal solid waste, earning the distinction of a ‘zero fresh waste dump’ city.
The capital city of Uttar Pradesh, with nearly 40 lakh residents and about 7.5 lakh establishments, faces growing challenges in waste management due to rapid urban expansion. LMC is addressing these issues through a multi-pronged strategy focused on scientific disposal, resource recovery and sustainable urban development.
According to the Municipal Corporation, out of nearly 18.5 lakh MT of legacy waste, about 12.86 lakh MT has already been scientifically processed. The resulting RDF, construction and demolition waste, bio-soil and coarse fractions have been utilised through recycling, co-processing and low-land filling.
Officials said around 2.27 lakh MT of RDF has been supplied to industries across the country, while inert materials such as coarse fractions, bio-soil and construction waste have been repurposed for infrastructure development and landfilling in low-lying areas. Over 25 acres of land have been reclaimed and developed into a full-fledged waste treatment facility with supporting infrastructure.
Looking ahead, LMC is preparing to set up a Waste-to-Energy plant at Shivari. The proposed 15 MW facility will use 1,000 to 1,200 MT of RDF daily to generate electricity, reducing both transportation costs and dependence on distant cement plants for RDF disposal.