Waste-to-Charcoal Plants in Gurugram & Faridabad: India's First Green Coal Initiative

Chandigarh, Jul 20 (PTI) Two waste-to-charcoal plants, also known as green coal plants, will be established in Haryana with the support of the central government, an official statement said on Saturday.

This project will be the first of its kind green initiative and will be set up in Faridabad and Gurugram.

A memorandum of understanding was signed between NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited (NVVNL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of NTPC Limited, and the Municipal Corporations of Gurugram and Faridabad in the presence of Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, and Minister of State for Urban Local Bodies Subhash Sudha, said an official release.

Speaking on this occasion, Saini said, "Today is a very important day for Haryana as an MoU has been signed for setting up plants to produce green charcoal."

According to the agreement, NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited (NVVNL) will establish waste-to-charcoal plants in Gurugram and Faridabad under the Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign of the government of India, he said.

The chief minister said green coal plants will be set up in Bandhwari, Gurugram, and Motuka, Faridabad, at a cost of around Rs 500 crore each.

These plants will convert 1,500 tonnes of waste collected daily from Gurugram and Faridabad into charcoal, he said.

"The municipal corporations of Gurugram and Faridabad will provide 20 acres of land each for these plants. The NTPC will soon take possession of the land and start setting up the plants, which are expected to be completed in about 30 months. These plants will be based entirely on indigenous technology," he said.

Saini said the establishment of these plants will significantly contribute to the realisation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Swachh Bharat campaign, making Gurugram and Faridabad garbage-free.

In the future, the cities will be free from waste heaps, he said.

The waste-to-green coal plants in Gurugram and Faridabad will not only provide a permanent solution to the waste problem but will also increase energy production, he said.

CEO of NVVNL, Renu Narang while providing information about the waste-to-charcoal plants said currently, the NTPC is operating a plant in Varanasi and it produces charcoal from 600 tonnes of waste daily.

However, the two plants to be established in Haryana will be the largest in India, producing charcoal from 1,500 tonnes of waste daily. After their success, this technology will be considered for implementation in other cities, she said.