Waste-to-Energy Model to Guide Godavari Pushkaralu Cleanliness Drive

Vijayawada:The Andhra Pradesh government will adopt scientific waste management practices as part of preparations for the forthcoming Godavari Pushkaralu, Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan said on Saturday.

During a visit to the Jindal Waste-to-Energy Plant at Kondaveedu in Palnadu district, the Deputy Chief Minister emphasised the need to convert waste into a resource through segregation, processing and energy generation.

Pawan Kalyan said Andhra Pradesh generates nearly 7,200 tonnes of dry waste every day and noted that waste-to-energy projects could help address both environmental and energy requirements.

According to officials, the Kondaveedu facility processes around 1,400 tonnes of dry waste daily and generates about 20 MW of electricity. A similar plant in Visakhapatnam produces 15 MW. The government is planning additional waste-to-energy facilities in Kakinada, Nellore, Kadapa, Kurnool, Vijayawada and Tirupati.

The Deputy Chief Minister said special workshops would be conducted in all 268 gram panchayats associated with the Godavari Pushkaralu. Panchayat officials will be trained in scientific waste management, river protection measures and prevention of waste disposal into the Godavari.

Referring to waste management practices adopted in Singapore and Indore, Pawan Kalyan called for improved waste segregation systems across both rural and urban areas. He also advocated expanding biogas production through biomethanisation plants using food, fruit and vegetable waste.

The Deputy Chief Minister said awareness campaigns and cluster-level workshops would be organised to educate local bodies on waste segregation, resource recovery and sustainable waste management practices.

He added that the proposed initiatives could also generate employment opportunities for local youth while contributing to cleaner urban and rural environments.