In a first, Lalbaugcha Raja’s prasad waste to power KEM, Sion hospitals

For the first time, Mumbai's Lalbaugcha Raja Ganesh Mandal has partnered with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to turn wet waste from their prasad kitchen into renewable energy for local hospitals. The 'Prasad to Power' initiative aims to recycle 8-10 metric tonnes of food and organic waste daily during the 11-day Ganesh Chaturthi festival, generating around 7,744 units of power for KEM, Kasturba, GTB, and Sion hospitals.

Lalbaugcha Raja, a revered and historic Ganesh mandal, draws millions of devotees annually, creating a significant volume of waste during the festival. The civic authorities plan to collect the waste from the mandal and transport it to the city's biomethanation plants at KEM, Kasturba, GTB, and Sion hospitals, where it will be processed.

Each hospital can handle up to two metric tonnes of wet waste per day, with the intention of generating a minimum of 80 metric tonnes of organic waste and 7,744 units of renewable electricity. The success of the project hinges on the quality of segregated waste and the functioning of the biomethanation plants. If successful, this initiative could serve as a model for converting large amounts of organic waste from public festivals into a valuable resource, promoting source segregation, scientific waste processing, and renewable energy generation.