Rudrapur and Kashipur in Uttarakhand's Udham Singh Nagar district have made significant changes to their waste management systems over the past few years. Rudrapur has disposed of approximately 2.5 lakh tonnes of legacy waste accumulated over several years, while Kashipur has introduced initiatives to generate electricity from waste and improve door-to-door garbage collection. These measures have contributed to improvements in the cleanliness rankings of both cities.
The two cities, previously known primarily for their industrial and commercial activities, have also improved their performance in urban sanitation. A few years ago, waste accumulation and disposal remained major challenges. Both municipal bodies have since undertaken initiatives to clear legacy waste and explore the use of waste for generating gas and electricity.
Waste had accumulated for years at the trenching ground located along the Kichha Highway in Rudrapur, creating difficulties for residents in surrounding areas. The persistent odour from the accumulated garbage and the challenges associated with its disposal had become major concerns.
The Rudrapur Municipal Corporation initiated the removal of legacy waste in 2020. By August 2024, approximately 2.5 lakh tonnes of accumulated waste had been processed and disposed of, significantly reducing the volume of legacy waste at the site.
The municipal corporation subsequently focused on utilising the wet waste generated daily in the city. A Bio-CBG plant with a processing capacity of 50 tonnes per day was installed for this purpose. The facility is designed to produce biogas from wet waste, allowing waste to be used as a resource rather than being treated solely as a disposal challenge.
Rudrapur's waste management initiatives also cover the treatment of waste extracted from septic tanks.
A Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant with a capacity of 125 kilolitres per day has been established in the city. The facility treats waste collected from septic tanks.
The safe disposal of such waste had previously been a significant challenge. The treatment plant has provided a designated system for processing and disposing of faecal sludge. These municipal initiatives have also contributed to changes in the city's sanitation infrastructure and its performance in cleanliness surveys.
Kashipur has also adopted new approaches to waste management. In February 2023, Uttarakhand's first Waste-to-Energy plant was inaugurated in the city. The facility has a reported electricity generation capacity of 2.5 MW.
The project aims to use municipal waste for electricity generation, providing an alternative to simply accumulating garbage at dumping grounds.
A new waste processing plant is also being established at Kachnal Gaji in Kashipur. An area of 2.215 hectares has been identified for the project, which is estimated to cost approximately Rs 14.54 crore.
The proposed facility is expected to process waste generated not only in Kashipur but also in Jaspur and Mahua Dabra. The project is intended to provide waste management facilities for all three urban local bodies.
The Kashipur Municipal Corporation has introduced a GPS-based monitoring system to track garbage collection vehicles across all 40 wards of the city.
A control room has been established to monitor vehicle movements and identify the areas covered by each garbage collection vehicle, including the routes taken.
The system helps identify areas where garbage collection vehicles fail to arrive on schedule. It has also made it easier for the municipal corporation to monitor the activities of sanitation workers and the movement of collection vehicles.
The sanitation initiatives undertaken in Rudrapur and Kashipur over the past few years have been reflected in their performance in cleanliness surveys.
According to the available information, Rudrapur improved its ranking by 417 positions between 2023 and 2025-26. Kashipur recorded an improvement of 348 positions during the period.
Kashipur secured the first position in the state, while Rudrapur also recorded an improved performance. These rankings have brought greater recognition to the sanitation and waste management projects being implemented in both cities.
The Uttarakhand government is also emphasising the removal of legacy waste, regular door-to-door garbage collection and the safe disposal of municipal waste in urban areas. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, urban local bodies are being provided with resources to undertake these activities.
Following the changes in Rudrapur and Kashipur, maintaining the existing sanitation systems on a regular basis remains important. Alongside the disposal of accumulated legacy waste, the municipal bodies will also need to ensure the proper management of the waste generated daily.
