From Waste to Watts: How Uttarakhand’s Cities Turn Garbage into Gold

Uttarakhand's Rudrapur and Mussoorie are innovatively using municipal garbage to produce electricity and fertilisers. This initiative, part of the 'Waste to Energy' programme, aims to tackle growing waste challenges in urban areas and balance environmental and economic needs.

Rudrapur and Mussoorie, two towns in Uttarakhand, are transforming garbage into valuable resources, a move hailed by state officials. The municipal corporations have set up waste-to-energy plants that convert daily household waste into electricity and organic fertilisers, tackling pollution and urban waste problems.

In Rudrapur, the plant processes around 30 tonnes of garbage each day, yielding six kilowatts of electricity and fertilisers branded as 'Kalyani'. Meanwhile, Mussoorie's plant has a daily capacity for eight tonnes of waste, producing biogas and organic fertilisers—an essential move for the tourist destination.

The initiative, praised by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, underscores the government's strategy of balancing ecological concerns with economic growth through sustainable urban management solutions.