Smart fuels for a Clean Durgapur

I hope many of you are familiar with the concept of using methanol as a fuel ⛽ in racing cars.
A more economically as well as ecologically sustainable alternative is the use of ethanol, denatured with 5 to 7% methanol to run buses.
Durgapur can start up with this idea and I am sure it will be very profitable in the public transport sector. Even New Delhi is planning to implement this plan in the coming years.
A cheaper fuel would be biogas in place of the fossil-based CNG. Biogas has methane as its main constituent and hence can replace CNG if it can be properly tapped and its octane rating can be increased. In Durgapur, biodegradable waste material can be obtained in abundance and hence setting up a number of large and small scale biogas plants at different parts of the city can greatly help to make auto and bus service cheaper. Biogas pumps have to be setup for this purpose. Funds can be raised from the voluntary donations of citizens, CSR of various companies and the fuel-stations can be operated in a Public Private Partnership Model, a model which I believe, can solve all infrastructural and operational difficulties faced by both the Government and Private Sector Companies.

Oh ho... so much wastes

              In 2008, Durgapur ranked 1st in India for solid waste management. At that time, a waste-to-energy conversion plant had been operational ( at Arrah, near Bidhan Nagar), which converted biodegradable solid wastes to energy. 

              Unfortunately, the company ceased operations at the plant after a few years on the ground that D.M.C. could not supply adequate wastes everyday as had been mentioned in the agreement. As such, in recent years, tackling of the solid wastes has raised the eyebrows of the municipal authorities, much to the dissatisfaction of the residents of Durgapur. 

              To meet the people's demand as well as to ensure a smarter, cleaner future, the waste-handling plant must be restarted and rejuvenated in a Public Private Partnership model ( may be with the same or a different company). As far as the question of non-biodegradable wastes go, a very effective solution is the concept of plastic roads( as I have already stated in one of my previous blogs). Another solution is R.D.F.( refuse derived fuel)-- applicable for non-recyclable plastics.

             Not only Vats but also a large number of garbage-bins must be placed along important streets of Durgapur (in the footpaths) at regular intervals (say, quarter a kilometre in crowded places) under the Swachch Bharat Mission of the Central Government. The foochkawallahs and other street-hawkers as well as shopkeepers must be strictly instructed to swipe off the garbage from around their stalls and throw them into the dustbins. Heavy fines should be levied on them otherwise. Civic volunteers should be entrusted with such duties.

              Moreover, as already proposed by DMC, Plasma Technology for Waste to Energy will have to be used regularly.

               Only then can we dream of a SMART CITY.