The much-hyped biogas plant installed by the Bhopal Smart City Development Corporation Limited (BSCDCL) at Bittan Market which was said to generate electricity from the biodegradable waste from the nearby localities is dead. The story starts from January 9, 2017, when the plant was inaugurated by the then Mayor Alok Sharma and dives into the chapters of neglect and maintenance failures finally resulting in this state of the biomethanation plant. Significantly, the plant was a first-of-its-kind in the entire State. Notably, the waste-to-energy plant was expected to use municipal solid waste and produce biogas that will then be utilised to generate electricity for lighting up street lights at Bittan Market. In the initial days, attempts were made to generate electricity from the plant and to light up the electricity poles which were quite successful. But as time passed, everything went in vain. “The project was built at a cost of Rs 2 crore and was handed over to the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) two years ago.” An official at the Smart City Corporation said while seeking anonymity, shrugging himself from the matter. The whole area under the helm of locks with nothing but filth having the access for the project.

 

The mixed organic waste treatment biogas plant installed at the site stands dilapidated. The capacity of the plant was 5,000 kilogram per day and was developed by a Pune-based company. The godown of the plant is all deserted. The place which once accumulated the workers of the site is now silent with the noise being that of the sound produced by the trees in the area along with the voice of hawkers and vendors working there for a living in its close vicinity. Water is accumulated at the places in some areas breeding mosquitoes. To inform, Bittan Market has been in the list of the hotspots of the vector borne disease, as cited by the district malaria department. Ironically, the place was developed to breed clean energy from the biodegradable waste collected from the nearby localities. “

 

Ye toh bahut time se band pada hai.” (It has been closed for a long time) A vegetable seller operating his business near the plant said. Another individual stated, “I saw this working before the outbreak of Covid 19. But in the post Covid period, the plant seems defunct.” Significantly, the plant was built at Bittan Market and is in close proximity to the haat market set up in the area. Also, there are some hotels in its close proximity. With that, it was envisioned that this plant built on public private partnership (PPP) will be looked at as the corporation’s step towards sustainable development and reducing the carbon footprints but looking at the present, all hopes seem shattered.