Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation to mentor five Odisha cities on sanitation

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been selected as a mentor civic body under the Swachh Shehar Jodi programme to guide five urban local bodies (ULBs) in Odisha. The initiative is part of a nationwide programme involving 75 mentor cities aimed at improving sanitation standards.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the BMC stated that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the ULBs of Kendrapada, Deogarh, Bargarh, Pattamundai, and Joda.

The programme will focus on replicating best practices in waste management, strengthening sanitation processes, and supporting waste processing infrastructure in the mentee cities.

Programme Structure And Duration

The initiative is designed as a 100-day, time-bound, outcome-oriented programme. The participating cities will implement structured measures to enhance visible cleanliness and improve citizen engagement for responsible sanitation practices.

The programme is also expected to impact the Swachh Bharat survey ratings for the mentor and mentee cities.

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Waste-to-Energy Projects Underway

In another recent landmark project, the Odisha government has announced plans to use waste collected from Bhubaneswar and nearby municipalities for energy generation.

Daily waste from BMC alone is estimated at 800 tonnes. The proposed infrastructure includes a waste-to-energy plant, a biogas composting unit, and a waste-to-briquette or charcoal plant.

Land has been identified at Palasuni for construction. The project aims to process 1,000 to 2,000 tonnes of waste daily from Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Puri, Jatni, and other nearby municipalities.

The energy generation capacity is estimated at up to 25 megawatts. Advanced technology will convert waste into charcoal, which will then be transformed into energy.