KARACHI, July 24: A multi-purpose project called `Waste-to-Energy and Fertiliser’ will be set up at Landhi Cattle Colony by the city government in collaboration with the New Zealand government at an estimated cost of US$ 135 million.

According to City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal, the pilot project being set up with the financial grant of New Zealand Agency for International Development (NZAID) will be made operational in six months, producing around 15 tons enriched

organic fertiliser per day and natural gas (methane) which can be sold as CNG or converted to electricity up to 30 mega-watt.

Moreover, thousands of cubic metres of water which is, at present, being used for washing away dung at the cattle colony, will be saved and used for irrigation and watering purpose, the nazim informed, adding that since the cattle waste was being put to good use, the city will not only get rid of hazards of pollution but its sea will be saved from becoming dumping ground of cattle dung.

The nazim was speaking to newsmen shortly after an agreement to this effect was signed between the city government and Empower Consultants Ltd., the project’s executing agency. Mr Tony Woods of Empower Consultants Ltd and the city government’s district coordination officer, Fazalur Rehman, signed the accord on behalf of their respective sides.

Divulging into details of the project, Mr Kamal said that work on the Waste-to-Energy and Fertiliser project, for which the city government had provided four acres of land under private-public partnership project at Landhi Cattle Colony, would begin from July 25 and its first phase which would serve as pilot project would be made operational in six months.

Highlighting salient features of the project, the nazim said that the project on its completion would, on the one hand, produce enriched organic fertiliser, natural gas, CNG and electricity and, on the other, would help generate 3,000 jobs.

Deploring that the project’s executing firm which had been visiting government departments for the last several years for the establishment of such a plant, could not get any support owing to bureaucratic wrangling, but when its officials approached him three months back, he not only gave them green signal for initiating the project but also provided four acres of land for the purpose merely keeping in view the interest of city and its people.

Replying to question, the nazim said that domestic gas, CNG and electricity to be produced at the biogas plant in question could be used for the city government’s organisations, besides those residing in the Landhi Cattle Colony could also benefit.

Speaking on the occasion, representative of the executing firm, Mr Tony Woods, said that the project would utilise waste of about 7,000 buffaloes of Landhi Cattle Colony for producing fertiliser, natural gas, electricity, besides saving a considerable quantity of water which was, at present, being used for washing away dung.

“Having a rich experience in setting up such projects our firm is working in as many as 26 countries of the world in the same field,” he added.