LUCKNOW, June 23 -- Lucknow reached a major milestone in urban waste management on Sunday with the launch of a new 700 metric tonne (MT) fresh waste processing unit at the Shivri Solid Waste Management Plant. With this, the city has achieved 100% scientific processing of all 2,000 MT of daily municipal waste, earning it the distinction of being a 'zero net waste city.' Urban development minister AK Sharma inaugurated the new facility in the presence of mayor Sushma Kharakwal, municipal officials, and residents. Municipal commissioner Gaurav Kumar said the city now operates three waste processing units of 700 MT capacity each. "With this third unit, no untreated fresh municipal waste remains. This marks full scientific treatment of the city's daily garbage output," he said. The minister recalled that back in 2022, the Shivri site had accumulated 18.5 lakh MT of legacy waste, posing an environmental challenge. In response, the Lucknow Municipal Corporation launched a Rs 106.18 crore remediation project, including Rs 96.53 crore sanctioned under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM-1). The contract was awarded to M/s Bhumi Green Energy, which began operations in March 2024. So far, 12.86 lakh MT of old waste has been processed, producing refuse-derived fuel (RDF), bio-soil, and construction-grade debris. The recovered area, over 25 acres, is now being repurposed for green zones, composting pads, and new waste infrastructure. To maintain operational transparency, the plant is monitored round-the-clock through 47 CCTV cameras. Independent technical oversight is being provided by NEERI Nagpur, IIT Roorkee, and VJTI Mumbai. Additional municipal commissioner Arvind Kumar Rao said the project is enabling a circular economy by reusing waste, creating jobs, and conserving resources. "Lucknow is being viewed as a model by other municipal bodies within and outside India," he said. Minister Sharma added that a detailed project report (DPR) is underway for a build-own-operate waste-to-energy (WTE) plant. Until that is ready, the Shivri facility, supported by NTPC, will act as the interim solution for waste processing. During the inauguration, students from a local private school visited the site to observe scientific waste disposal practices. The minister and mayor encouraged them to adopt waste segregation at home and take part in building a cleaner city. "This is more than an infrastructure project; it marks a new direction for how our city manages its future," Mayor Kharakwal said, crediting the collective efforts of citizens and officials for the achievement. The event was also attended by chief engineer Mahesh Verma, senior municipal officers, corporators, and members of the local community....