Puri’s Jagannath Dham to convert its bio-waste into biogas & compost

The temples of India are on a spree to manage the vast amount of wastes generated in the premises scientifically and moving beyond, convert them into green sources of energy. In a key development, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has revealed that the bio-waste generated by the temple will soon be utilized for generating biogas and organic compost. The SJTA is mulling to establishing a processing plant at Malatipatpur located on the outskirts of the ancient city of Puri. The temple administration will get support from Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd and OBCC.

Temple chief administrator Arabinda Padhee held that the biogas produced will be utilized to operate the plant itself. The compost will be used in the three large gardens of Jagannath Temple which supply flowers and tulsi for the deities of the temple.

The sacred waste of the Jagannath Dham is being currently mixed with the regular garbage generated in the city of Puri. Flowers, tulasi, and other temple waste were collected by the Puri Municipality alongside city waste and dumped at Baliapanda.

As per reports, the construction of the biogas & processing plant is nearing completion. It is being built by a Surat-based company at a cost of Rs 4 crore. The facility is expected to be operational before Akshaya Tritiya this year.

The temple currently generates three tonnes of bio-waste or green waste daily. This waste includes flowers, tulsi, leftovers from Ananda Bazaar and Mahaprasad. The Rosaghara waste, consisting of vegetable and fruit scraps, accounts for about 15 quintals, while Ananda Bazaar contributes five quintals of Mahaprasad leftovers, and leaf waste amounts to eight quintals daily. Plus, there are other bio-wastes too. During festive occasions such as Kartika Purnima, the waste volume can rise to four tonnes.

Once the processing plant is established, the waste will be collected & segregated at the temple and then transported to the Malatipatpur plant. This process will yield chemical-free compost and biogas. The compost will be used to enrich the Nilachala Upabana, Koili Baikuntha, and the greenery around the Parikrama.

In cases of surplus biogas production, there are plans to sell it to discoms. The temple authorities have established two garbage chutes near Ananda Bazaar. These will allow segregated waste to be directly deposited into collection vehicles.

Recently, Oil India Limited (OIL) signed an agreement with the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) to build a CBG plant in Bhubaneswar involving an investment of about Rs 150 crore. The civic body is also mulling to set up a processing plant equipped with chippers, grinders, hammers, and dryers to convert green waste, such as grass clippings, shrubs, and wood, into biomass briquettes.