Nagpur Metro Rail Corporation Limited (NMRCL) is going to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in this regard with Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), which had developed this technology.
Nagpur: Taking a step ahead to be the greenest Metro Rail in the country, Nagpur’s Majhi Metro has decided to install bio-digesters or mini sewage treatment plants (STPs) at all its stations and buildings.
Nagpur Metro Rail Corporation Limited (NMRCL) is going to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in this regard with Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), which had developed this technology. The NMRCL said that the bio-digesters would take care of human waste disposal at the stations and offices. The sewage system of the city is already overburdened. Therefore, we have decided to treat the waste generated on our premises ourselves, the NMRCL said.
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“The DRDO bio-digester technology is environment friendly, maintenance free and efficient without depending on conventional energy sources. The effluent is odourless and gets rid off most of the pathogens. Hundreds of bio-digesters have been installed at various locations in Jammu & Kashmir, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. Subsequently, the technology has been introduced in the Indian Railways for on-board treatment of human waste. Hundreds of these units are in operation in different trains,” an official of Majhi Metro stated. Explaining the bio-digester technology, the source said, “It has two components — anaerobic microbial consortium and specially designed fermentation tank. The consortium is developed by enrichment of bacteria at low temperatures and bio-augmentation with critical group of bacteria. The fermentation tank (bio-digester) is a device for accelerated microbial degradation of organic waste. This tank is made up of special material and has the power of immobilizing the bacteria in large numbers.”
Highlights of the Bio Digester Technology:
- Eco-friendly and cost effective since there is no recurring cost
- Wide applicability under different climatic conditions
- Easy to transplant and install anywhere
- Water consumption is minimized
- 100% Effluent water is recycled, thus reusing the waste water for flushing & gardening
- Reduction in organic waste by more than 90%
- More than 99% pathogens reduction
- NMRCL has planned to use this technology for its proposed 36 stations, 2 depots and Nagpur Metro buildings
- Human waste disposal in innocuous form is an ever growing problem leading to aesthetic nuisance, threat of organic pollution & several diseases in epidemic proportions due to contamination of ground water and drinking water resources in highly populated and developing countries, like India. Untreated waste is responsible for several diseases like, dysentery, diarrhea, amoebiasis, viral hepatitis, cholera, typhoid etc. taking the life of lakhs of children annually. DRDO has perfected an eco-friendly biodegradation technology for human waste disposal for armed forces deployed at high altitude locations and glaciers. DRDO developed Biodigester technology is environmental friendly, maintenance free and efficient without depending on conventional energy sources. The effluent is odorless and gets rid-off most of the pathogens. Hundreds of such bio-digesters have been installed at various locations in J&K, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. Subsequently, the technology has been extended to Indian Railways for on-board treatment of human waste. Hundreds of stainless steel made biodigesters are in operation in different trains of Indian Railways.
The Anaerobic Digestion Technology
- The bio-digester technology has two components: anaerobic microbial consortium and specially designed fermentation tank
- The Anaerobic microbial consortium is developed by acclimatization/enrichment of microbes at low temperature and bio-augmentation with critical group of bacteria
- Fermentation Tank (Biodigester) is a device for accelerated microbial degradation of organic waste
- Fermentation tank is made of mild steel/SS/FRP/Bricks and has the provision of immobilizing the bacteria in large numbers.
