Hubballi: Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and New and Renewable Energy Prahlad Joshi on June 26, Friday visited the waste-to-coal production facility being established at Gabbur in Hubballi by NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Limited (NVVN), a subsidiary of NTPC. The project, which converts dry municipal waste into coal substitutes, is expected to become the first facility of its kind in South India and is being viewed as a major step towards scientific solid waste management.
After inspecting the plant, the Union Minister said the initiative would play a crucial role in making Hubballi-Dharwad a cleaner and environmentally sustainable urban region while also generating employment and reducing dependence on conventional fossil fuels.
The project has been undertaken with an investment of Rs 157 crore and is designed to process around 200 tonnes of dry municipal waste every day. According to Joshi, the pilot phase has already demonstrated encouraging results, with nearly 250 tonnes of dry waste converted into fuel over the past 72 hours.
“The experimental phase has been successful and the project is progressing as planned. The facility is expected to become fully operational by January 2027,” the minister said. The waste-derived fuel produced at the plant will be supplied to industries that currently rely on conventional coal for thermal applications. Officials said the processed fuel can serve as an alternative energy source while significantly reducing the volume of waste reaching landfills.
Spread across nearly eight acres, the project comprises two processing units equipped with advanced waste segregation and fuel production technology. One of its major environmental features is its energy-efficient design. Only around 20 per cent of the electricity required for plant operations will be sourced from the grid, while the remaining energy demand will be met using gas generated during the waste-processing cycle.
Officials said this integrated energy model would considerably reduce the plant’s carbon footprint and improve operational efficiency. The Union Minister said NTPC’s subsidiary NVVN would spend nearly Rs 11 crore annually on operation and maintenance of the facility to ensure uninterrupted functioning and adherence to environmental standards.
Besides addressing urban waste management challenges, the project is also expected to generate more than 200 direct and indirect employment opportunities in the region, benefiting local youth and skilled workers.
Joshi said scientific disposal of municipal waste has become one of the biggest challenges for rapidly growing cities, and innovative technologies such as waste-to-fuel conversion can offer sustainable long-term solutions.
He urged the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation to strengthen door-to-door segregation and systematic collection of dry waste to ensure the project receives a steady supply of quality raw material. “If waste is collected and segregated efficiently, it can become a valuable resource instead of an environmental burden. This project demonstrates how urban waste can be transformed into an economic asset while protecting the environment,” he said.
The minister expressed confidence that the project would improve the cleanliness standards of Hubballi and Dharwad and help the twin cities secure better rankings under national cleanliness surveys. He added that the initiative could serve as a model for other cities across Karnataka and the country looking to adopt sustainable waste management practices.
The visit also highlighted the growing emphasis on circular economy initiatives that seek to recover valuable resources from municipal waste while reducing landfill dependence and greenhouse gas emissions.
Present during the inspection were Hubballi-Dharwad Mayor Jyoti Patil, Deputy Mayor Santosh Chavhan, Municipal Commissioner Rudresh Ghali, Deputy Commissioner Vijayakumar and senior officials from the municipal corporation and NVVN, who briefed the Union Minister on the project’s progress and future roadmap.
Once commissioned, the facility is expected to become one of the largest waste-to-coal plants in southern India, marking a significant milestone in Karnataka’s efforts to promote renewable energy, scientific waste management and sustainable urban development.
