Pimpri Chinchwad Waste-to-Energy Plant to Start in Sept

Pimpri: The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) is set to restart its Waste-to-Energy project in September, with the facility expected to process around 700 tonnes of dry waste every day and generate electricity from the waste.

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PCMC Commissioner Dr. Vijay Suryawanshi said the project is currently shut as work is underway to install a new chimney. The work is expected to be completed within a month, with the plant likely to become operational by mid-September.

The development comes at a critical time for the city’s waste management system. The Moshi waste depot has reached its capacity, forcing the civic administration to stop dumping waste there. As a result, garbage piles have emerged at several locations across Pimpri-Chinchwad, triggering increasing complaints from residents and elected representatives.

The Waste-to-Energy project had also been affected following the July 8 incident, in which an unauthorized administrative building at the project site collapsed, resulting in the deaths of nine employees. Following the incident, waste dumping at the Moshi depot was stopped.

Second 1,000-Tonne Waste-to-Energy Plant Planned

With the existing Moshi depot running out of space, the civic body is also moving ahead with plans for a second Waste-to-Energy plant with a capacity of 1,000 tonnes per day at another location in the city.

Commissioner Suryawanshi said the process for the new facility has already been expedited to address the city’s growing waste management requirements.

5,000 Tonnes of Waste Processed Daily Through Biomining

The PCMC is currently carrying out biomining at the Moshi waste depot to rapidly reduce the accumulated garbage mountain. Around 5,000 tonnes of legacy waste is being processed every day.

The deadlines for the first and second phases of the biomining project had expired as the work could not be completed within the scheduled period. However, the civic body has granted an extension to the contractor and increased manpower and machinery to ensure that the work continues even during the monsoon.

The commissioner has directed officials to completely clear the garbage mountain within the next six months. Once the biomining operation is completed, around 25 acres of land at the Moshi depot will become available.

40 Sites Identified for Decentralised Waste Processing

To tackle the city’s growing waste crisis, the PCMC is also planning to decentralise waste processing. Around 40 sites have been identified under 10 regional offices for setting up local waste processing centres.

Sites located in areas with relatively low population density will be inspected shortly. Processing waste closer to its source is expected to significantly reduce the civic body’s waste transportation costs.

Pimpri-Chinchwad currently generates around 1,500 tonnes of waste every day. The civic administration has prepared its long-term waste management plan considering the possibility that daily waste generation could rise to around 5,000 tonnes in the future.

PCMC Warns Khadki Cantonment Board

The civic body is also seeking land from the Defence Department at Shankrawadi in Kasarwadi, where the Khadki Cantonment Board has an old waste depot spread across around 40 acres.

The PCMC plans to seek around 20 acres of the land for a waste processing facility. At present, the municipal corporation collects around 25 tonnes of waste daily from the cantonment board.

Commissioner Dr. Vijay Suryawanshi has warned that if the Defence Department fails to provide the required land, the PCMC may stop accepting the cantonment board’s waste.

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