If you're a regular reader here, then you would probably have read an article where I tried to assert as to why Waste collection doesn't mean anything, unless you have proper waste management System in place. I also asserted that Waste Management, which includes everything right from collection to proper disposal (and utilization) needs generous funds. And in the absence of funds, it's not possible to manage tonnes of wastes our cities and urban areas create every day. This means that merely reminding the citizens of their responsibility to keep their surroundings clean; doesn't work. A recent example is of Delhi. When the Municipality workers, entrusted for keeping the cities clean, went to a strike, the entire Delhi turned into Waste Yard, with piles of waste seen everywhere.

Thus in short, exhorting Nation to Clean their surroundings is nothing. No matter how many Advertisements one airs on TV Channels or gives on Newspapers.

That said, the Uttarakhand government will set up a waste to energy project with the help of BSR Green Energy, Hyderabad. This, the Government hopes, will ease part of the waste burden of 18 local bodies with the help of the green technology.

The SIDCUL approved BSR Green Energy, Waste to Energy project, will take care of waste generated by 18 urban local bodies, including Dehradun, Mussoorie, Rishikesh, Roorkee, Doiwala, Herbertpur, Vikasnagar and Haridwar. The government has earmarked about 10 acres in Roorkee for the project where the powerhouse will be built for dumping waste and generating electricity from it. These 18 urban bodies create a total of 550 tonnes of waste per day.

According to the agreement, the land at Roorkee will be made available free of cost to the company that is expected to produce around 25 MW that will be supplied to the state’s main grid. The pricing of the electricity thus generated will be decided between the Company and the Uttarakhand Electricity Regularity Commission (UERC), before the work for the project starts. The waste to energy project to be built with BSR Green Power, Hyderabad, will start operation in another 10 months. SIDCUL aims at earning royalty from waste to be used in the project for producing electricity. The royalty thus earned will be shared with the local bodies.

According to the government, BSR Green was chosen through a tendering process and has a track record (we can assume) of offering prospect of using waste in an environmentally friendly and scientific manner.

To conclude, it's important that the Company selected for the project is a pioneer in managing waste in environmentally friendly and scientific manner.

Why I think so? Because the very tendering process of the Governments has a tendency to ignore these things. As their focus is mainly on the lowest bid offered. The Company, which fulfills the eligibility, and proposes to do the task in the lowest price, is chosen. This way, real pioneering technologies, which are often run by small entrepreneurs are ignored.

I hope, the Governments across India are also keeping an eye on the latest technologies in the field of waste management. I'm sure some researcher or engineer or entrepreneur may be working on some new technology.

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