IMC processes green waste after storm uproots hundreds of trees

Indore: The recent bout of heavy winds coupled with rainfall wreaked havoc on Indore's green cover, uprooting hundreds of trees across the city. The Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) mobilised its resources to collect the fallen trees and transport them to its green waste processing plant for efficient disposal and potential revenue generation.

According to IMC additional commissioner Abhilash Mishra, a staggering 302 tonnes of green waste, comprising leaves and tree branches, were collected by the civic body between May 5 and 8. This massive cleanup operation required the deployment of 151 heavy loading vehicles.

"Similarly, we collected around 355 tonnes of wood logs during the same four-day period," Mishra stated. "These logs were the result of the numerous trees that fell due to the strong winds and rainfall. All these logs were transported to our green waste processing plant using 19 dumpers."

Indore boasts the country's first public-private partnership (PPP) model green waste processing plant, a facility that not only handles green waste effectively but also generates revenue for the IMC. The corporation receives a royalty of Rs 3,000 per tonne for supplying wood and branches to the plant.

Established on approximately 55,000 square feet of land in the Bicholi Hapsi area by a private firm, the plant recycles the collected wood and branches to produce valuable wood pellets. These pellets serve as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, contributing to energy conservation. "The plant just commenced its production," confirmed additional commissioner Mishra.

Explaining the plant's operational model, Mishra said, "The plant is set up on a PPP basis. As royalty, the IMC will receive Rs 3000 for every tonne of processed material. The plant has a daily processing capacity of 100 tonnes. Indore typically generates around 30 tonnes of green waste daily, including wood and branches, which can surge to 60-70 tonnes during peak seasons like autumn."