Growing waste piles in Uttarakhand’s mountain areas have prompted Kumaon-origin entrepreneur Swarn Shikhar Pant to plan a venture that would turn discarded material into usable products.
Pant wants to process wet waste into biogas and organic manure. His team also plans to reuse plastic bottles and polythene to make household items, while modified plastic would be used for tyre coating.
The project is still seeking land and institutional support. Pant is in contact with the municipal bodies of Haldwani, Nainital and Bhowali, and is also looking to the district administration for cooperation.
Team plans waste-to-resource facility
Pant, who is based in Moradabad, received higher education in the Netherlands. He reportedly declined a job offer abroad to work on improving the environmental conditions of the hills.
His team includes his brother Rajat, who holds a BTech from IIT Roorkee, along with other members educated at IITs. The group is working on a model for producing biogas from wet waste.
The proposed approach would adapt methods already being used in Gujarat and Indore for local conditions in the hill region. The plan focuses on treating different waste streams rather than allowing them to accumulate in open areas or disposal sites.
Planned uses for biogas and recycled plastic
According to Pant, the biogas could be used for lighting and electricity generation. It could also power pump sets and agricultural machinery. The residue left after gas production would be converted into organic manure.
The proposed plastic-recycling line would use bottles and polythene to produce items such as buckets, mugs and tiffin boxes. The team also plans to use processed plastic in tyre coating.
These proposed uses could give value to waste that is otherwise difficult to manage in the hills. However, the project’s progress depends on securing land and receiving cooperation from local authorities and the government.
Land and investment requirements
Pant said the project would require one acre of land and an investment of about ₹25 crore. He also said 100 tons of waste could produce 3 to 4 tons of biogas, while one ton of gas would require 30 to 35 tons of waste.
The project team says it does not face a shortage of technology or equipment. Its immediate requirement is an administrative framework, suitable land and official support to establish the proposed facility.
For residents and local bodies in the hill towns, the plan could provide a way to address wet waste and plastic together. No final approval or facility launch has been reported. The next step is continued coordination with the municipalities and district administration.
Conclusion
Swarn Shikhar Pant’s proposed venture aims to convert wet waste into biogas and manure and turn plastic into household goods and tyre-coating material. The project now requires one acre of land, about ₹25 crore in investment and administrative support before it can move forward.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What does Swarn Shikhar Pant’s project aim to do?
It aims to make biogas and organic manure from wet waste and produce household goods and tyre coating from plastic.
Q. Which local bodies is Pant contacting?
He is in contact with the municipalities of Haldwani, Nainital and Bhowali.
Q. How much land and investment would the project require?
The project would require one acre of land and about ₹25 crore in investment.
Q. What could the biogas be used for?
The proposed uses include lighting, electricity generation, pump sets and agricultural machinery.
Q. What products could be made from recycled plastic?
The plans include buckets, mugs, tiffin boxes and material for tyre coating.
