BIO-METHANATION OF FOOD WASTE AT SAHASTRADHARA TOURIST DESTINATION

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]BIO-METHANATION OF FOOD WASTE AT SAHASTRADHARA TOURIST DESTINATION
(Bio-Methanation of Food Waste at Sahastradhara Tourist Destination by High Rate Modular Digester in Collaboration of Sahastradhara Destination Management Committee (SDMC))

BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT

The rapid increase in the human population and improvements in living standards during recent years have resulted in an increased demand for land, energy and resources. It has also lead to greater quantities of waste being generated, which, in turn, has led to the pollution of land, water and air. The tourist destinations in Uttarakhand witness intermittent pressure during summers when people from the plains visit Hill towns to escape the scorching heat of the plains. The Sahastradhara tourist destination in the Doon valley witnesses high tourist inflow which leads to generation of waste both biodegradable and non-biodegradable. This waste is an indicator of energy flow, energy use and energy disposed in the system.

The increased use of fossil fuel energy for cooking to meet the feeding demand of the tourists results in generating huge quantum of food and packing material waste, which is either disposed off openly along road sides, rock crevices or in the Baldi river. This wasted energy can be trapped and recovered through recycling. The food waste can be converted into bio-gas as every hundred kilograms of waste has the potential of generating 3 kilograms of methane which is about 7.5meter3 of gas. (1 mt3gas is equivalent to 400 gms. of methane). Besides, carbon-di-oxide which is another greenhouse gas can be trapped by sequestering carbon into bio-manure, a rich organic fertiliser. The dry waste as packing material in the form of paper, carton, plastics, glass bottles and metallic containers can be recycled through waste pickers. They eke out their livelihood through sales of recyclables. They need to be integrated into the formal system for a sustainable waste management programme at the Sahastradhara tourist destination.

Sahastradhara is an exotic picnic spot in Dehradun. The name Sahastradhara literally means ‘the thousand fold spring’ that flow down the beautiful green hills in the valley. The Baldi River and its springs attracts thousands of visitors not only from India but around the world. Sahastradhara is situated about 11 kms. from the main Dehradun city and around 6 kms. from the Rajpur road via the Mussoorie by pass road. One of the truly amazing spot to visit in Sahastradhara is the natural Sulphur water spring that has great medicinal properties curing the worst skin diseases. People from all over India and foreigners visit this place to find the cure of a variety of skin ailments. One can also drink the sulphur water which can cure a large number of stomach diseases.

The increased inflow of tourists round the year leads to generation of a huge quantum of solid waste which at present is dumped on the Dehradun Garbage dumping site. This unscientific disposal of waste leads to emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) like the Methane and Carbon–di-oxide. The project envisages a sustainable strategy in association with the Sahastradhara Destination Management Committee (SDMC) under the chairmanship of the District Magistrate., through community participation in terms of waste segregation and paying a user fee for sustaining the collection system. The food waste shall be recycled into Bio-gas and Bio-manure as a scientific end use disposal system. The waste pickers who eke out their livelihood through the sales of recyclable dry waste shall be integrated in the system for collection and end use disposal of dry waste through waste dealers of Dehradun. The proposed system conforms to the norms of SWM rule 2000 and Plastic Waste Management and Handling Rules 2011.

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT

• To evolve an efficient waste collection system

• To promote source separation for resource generation.

• To link sweeping with the beat system for making the destination waste free.

• To treat food and other biodegradable waste scientifically through Bio-methanation.

• To integrate waste pickers in the system.

• To evolve a social immersion innovation programme through developing entrepreneurship in waste management system.

• To implement the SWM rules 2000 in letter and spirit.

COMPONENTS OF THE PROJECT

• Preliminary study with waste quantification and desiccation.

• Identification of land.

• Training and capacity building of waste collectors.

• Segregation of waste at source system

• Construction of platform for installation of high rate modular digester

• Procurement of the equipment.

• Integrating waste pickers for handling and managing dry waste.

• Creating a closed loop in waste management for replication at other destinations.

TARGET AREA AND TARGET GROUPS OF THE PROJECT

The target area of the project is Sahastradhara tourist destination in District Dehradun of Uttarakhand.

FUNDING AGENCY

The project was funded by G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment & Sustainable Development (GBPIHED)
Kosi-Katarmal, District- Almora, Uttarakhand.

COST OF THE PROJECT

The project was sanctioned by GBPNIHESD in the year 2016 vide sanction order No. GBPI/IERP-NMHS/15-16/05/25 dated 31.03.2016. Total cost of the project sanctioned by GBPNIHESD for three years was Rs. 14,74,000.00[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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