A few months ago, the Prime Minister Modi praised a vegetable market in his Mann Ki Baat series. What’s intriguing about this place is that it has an excellent waste management system that creates electricity, biofuel, and manure! It is Bowenpally Vegetable Market, Telangana.
Bowenpally’s waste is being turned into wealth. When huge amounts of produce are brought to the market everyday, it is not uncommon for some of it to rot due to temperature, less buyers, or other reasons that lead to dirty surroundings attracting rodents and flies, creating unhygienic conditions. So, traders came up with the idea to put the waste to good use.
Nearly 10 tons of waste is collected every day from Bowenpally that generates around 500 units of electricity and 30 kg of biofuel. The electricity generated powers the streetlights, 170 stalls, the Bowenpally market canteen, an administration building, and the water supply network. The Biogas plant is adding to the sustainable actions of the state. Due to the 7-8 ton processed waste requirement of the market’s electricity network, it has ensured a clean, pollution-free market.
Generating two Es: Electricity and Employment
The secretary of Bowenpally Market, Mr. Srinivas, highlighted that the waste-to-energy plant has also provided employment opportunities to many women, who sort and segregate the waste, operate machinery, and manage administrative tasks. Skill development and steady income go hand in hand here. The initiative also helps curb almost 6,290 kg CO2 that would have been added to the atmosphere from the untreated waste.
The Bowenpally Biogas Plant collects waste from across the city. The collected gas is sent via pipes for cooking, and manure is obtained as a by-product. The biofuel collected is also supplied to cold storage rooms and water pumps. This unit has helped reduce electricity costs and farmers who are able to use the manure as natural fertiliser. The Department of Biotechnology has announced five similar plants to be established across Telangana. It has impacted people in other st.
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