The Union Environment Ministry has granted environmental clearance for the establishment of a new waste-to-energy (WTE) plant in Bawana. This will be the fifth such facility in Delhi. The other four WTE plants are located in Okhla, Ghazipur, Tehkhand, and Narela.
According to the environmental clearance report, the 30 MW plant will be developed under a public-private partnership with Jindal Urban Waste Management Limited, and will be located in Sector 5 of the Bawana Industrial Area in northwest outer Delhi.
The 15-acre plot proposed for the WTE plant was allotted to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) in February under a concession agreement. The plant will process 3,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste per day using Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF). Jindal Urban Waste Management Limited has also committed that “no groundwater shall be used for the proposed project” and that the facility “will operate under a zero liquid discharge system.”
The ₹660-crore project has faced continued protests over concerns related to worsening air quality, health risks, and improper waste handling. The JJ Colony is also located within one kilometre of the proposed project site.
“Pollution is at its peak, and residents—especially those living near the industrial area—are already burdened by emissions from existing industrial units,” states the Environment Clearance (EC) report, flagging concerns raised by people living in the JJ cluster.
In response to the protests, the company stated that “an ambient air quality monitoring system will be installed at the plant to track pollution levels and ensure compliance with environmental regulations. All emission parameters from the plant shall remain within the prescribed limits. Employment opportunities will also be provided to local people.”
