Indore’s First Green Waste Processing Plant

• 20 Mar 2025

Why in News? 

Under Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban, India's first public-private partnership (PPP) green waste processing plant has been set up in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.

Key Points 

• About the Processing Plant: 
  • Astronomical Industries Pvt. Ltd. has partnered with Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) to set up, operate and maintain the plant. 
  • The plant will process green waste such as wood, branches, leaves and flowers into sawdust, which will be dried, reducing the moisture content to 90% in 3-4 months. 
  • The sawdust will be used for alternative fuel, packaging material and biodegradable plates. 
• Environmental Impact: 
  • This initiative will help in controlling air pollution, improving the Air Quality Index (AQI) and reducing dependence on coal. 
  • It will also contribute to enhancing soil fertility by producing fertilizers from processed sawdust. 

 

Swachh Bharat Mission 

• About: 
  • The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs launched Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U) as a national campaign on 2nd October 2014 with the aim of promoting sanitation, cleanliness and proper waste management in urban areas. 
  • Its objective is to make the cities and towns across India clean and free from open defecation. 
• Achievements of Swachh Bharat Mission:  
  • In the last 9 years, 12 crore toilets have been constructed, thereby freeing the country from the scourge of open defecation and also 75% of the total villages have achieved Open Defecation Free (ODF) Plus status. 
    • Urban India has become Open Defecation Free (ODF) , with all 4,715 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) becoming fully ODF. 
    • 3,547 ULBs are ODF+ with functional and clean community and public toilets, while 1,191 ULBs are ODF++ with complete faecal sludge management. 
    • 14 cities are Water+ certified, which includes treatment of wastewater along with its optimal reuse.