CM Rekha Gupta mulling biogas projects to combat dairy-led pollution

In a key development, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has announced a major initiative to tackle pollution in the Yamuna by setting up biogas plants near the capital’s dairy clusters. The announcement was made by the CM after her spiritual and administrative visit to Mathura.

During her visit, CM Gupta inaugurated a Bio-CNG plant in Kumar village, which processes cow dung into compressed natural gas (CNG) and organic manure. Applauding the project as a model for environmental sustainability, she expressed her government’s commitment to replicating similar bio-CNG plants across Delhi.

She said that the proper disposal of cow dung is essential for making the Yamuna clean and pure again. “Our government is serious about building such plants and will soon begin work on two new projects near major dairy colonies. This initiative will not only help reduce pollution but also generate green energy.”

Rekha Gupta mentioned that Delhi’s 12,000-plus dairies generate thousands of tons of cow dung daily, much of which ends up in the Yamuna through untreated drains. She criticised the Kejriwal administrations for failing to address this issue and vowed to provide long-term, sustainable solutions.

Following her return to Delhi on Sunday afternoon, CM Gupta chaired a high-level meeting with senior officials to review the progress of the biogas plant initiative. She directed them to urgently identify land near dairy clusters to begin construction.

She also noted that the biogas projects would be critical to her government’s mission to make Delhi cleaner and restore the sanctity of the Yamuna,” she said, emphasizing her government’s urgency and commitment to the project’s swift execution.

The CM’s visit to Mathura also held spiritual significance. Accompanied by her family and party workers, she undertook a barefoot ‘parikrama’ of the Giriraj Maharaj Temple and engaged with saints and local residents. On Sunday morning, she offered prayers at the Banke Bihari Temple and received blessings from temple priests for Delhi’s development.

A recent study by Nomura Research has concluded that construction of compressed biogas (CBG) plants has the potential to reduce Delhi’s winter pollution by approximately 30 per cent.