Gorakhpur is set to become the home of India’s first Integrated Waste Management City-cum-Learning Centre by September 2025. The project, covering 40 acres in Suthni village, Sahjanwa, aims to make the city garbage-free by promoting sustainable waste management practices through a circular economy model. According to Gorakhpur Municipal Commissioner Gaurav Sogarwal, the city will process a wide range of waste types, including biomedical, e-waste, tyre, plastic, and organic waste, while generating charcoal and Bio-CNG.

The project will not only help address waste management issues in Gorakhpur but will also serve as a learning hub for waste processing technology. Sogarwal, who has presented this model in Visakhapatnam and Delhi, noted that the Ministry of Environment plans to showcase it at the National Chief Secretaries' Conference in Delhi.

The waste processing facility will include three dedicated plants: a Dry Waste Plant with a 500-ton daily capacity that will produce charcoal; a Wet Waste Plant with a 200-ton daily capacity that will generate Bio-CNG; and a Hazardous Waste Plant to handle domestic hazardous waste using eco-friendly techniques. Sogarwal added that the Wet Waste Plant, which will operate under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, could save the Municipal Corporation Rs 12-15 crore monthly on fuel costs.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed with the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) to invest Rs 300 crore in the project, ensuring both revenue generation and employment opportunities. Additionally, the plant will support neighboring urban local bodies, marking a significant regional sustainability effort.