Indore civic body proposes to set up Rs 200 crore waste-to-energy plant

A waste-to-energy plant will be set up at a cost of about Rs 200 crore to generate electricity from garbage in the cleanest city of the country, Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargav said on Tuesday. A provision to this effect was made in the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) budget for the financial year 2024-25, presented by the mayor.

"As a priority to convert waste into energy, we plan to set up a new plant at a cost of about Rs 200 crore. This plant will be an important step towards environmental protection," Bhargav said.

The proposed plant will not only dispose of 500 tonnes of waste daily, but it will also generate six megawatts of electricity, he said.

The mayor on Tuesday presented the IMC budget with an estimated expenditure of Rs 8,232.26 crore in the current financial year against the earnings of Rs 8,302.26 crore from different sources.

To tackle air and noise pollution, 19 traffic signals have been identified in Indore where drivers will be requested to keep their vehicles' engines off till the red light turns green, Bhargav stated in his budget speech.

A provision for providing free Wi-Fi connectivity at 150 major crossings has also been made in the budget.

Councillors of the opposition Congress attended the budget session wearing black clothes and created a ruckus by waving placards against the alleged corruption in the municipal corporation. After the furore, chairman Munnalal Yadav expelled them from the House for the day.

Speaking to reporters, IMC Leader of Opposition Chintu Chouksey said, "Big scams have come to light in the construction of drainage lines, roads and community buildings in the municipal corporation, but no action has been taken against the real culprits so far." He said the Congress councillor group would stage a hunger strike if the proposed hike in local taxes in the budget is not withdrawn.