‘Delhi buses will run on hydrogen produced from garbage’: Nitin Gadkari

UNion route ship and Highways government minister Nitin Gadkari on mon said Delhi's buses could single day run on hydrogen produced from segregated municipal waste, as he outlined his vision for converting garbage into clean fuel.Speaking at a youth conclave organised by the Delhi BJP, Gadkari said municipal waste could be processed through biodigesters to generate hydrogen, which could then be used to power public transport, PTI news agency reported."This (garbage) will be segregated and used to produce hydrogen through biodigesters. The buses in Delhi will run on it. All of this is possible," he said as reported by the agency.The Union minister also spoke about future transport technologies, saying he envisions a time when vehicles will use water to generate hydrogen for operation.Responding to skepticism over the idea, Gadkari said, “People have asked how this will happen. Has there ever been a time in the last 50 years when something I predicted did not come to pass?”Garbage to expresswaysHighlighting the use of waste in infrastructure projects, Gadkari said around 8 million tonnes of garbage from Delhi's landfill sites have already been used in the construction of expressways. He added that the government aims to eliminate garbage across the country by 2027.The minister also pointed to the economic benefits of waste management, saying the municipal corporation in his parliamentary constituency earns around ₹325 crore annually by selling treated wastewater.Also Read: Industry experts defend E20 petrol amid engine damage claims; say fuel safe for older vehicles: ‘Years of testing’Gadkari on E20 petrolAmid criticism of the mandate for E20 petrol (20 per cent ethanol-blended) sales and complaints about reduced fuel efficiency of vehicles, Gadkari on Tuesday dared critics to identify a single car that faced problems due to the mixed fuel.Addressing the 'Viksit Bharat Conclave' here, Gadkari further said that India's dependence on fossil fuels is both an economic burden - as ₹22 lakh crore is spent annually on fuel imports - and an environmental hazard, making clean energy adoption crucial for the nation's progress."There is no case of any car facing issues due to E20 petrol. Has there been any car in the country that faced issues due to the use of E20 petrol? Just name one.""...false narratives are being spread about the roll-out of higher ethanol-blended petrol. These are paid campaigns," he said.India has already achieved 20 per cent blending of ethanol (produced from biomass like sugarcane, corn or rice) with petrol to create a cleaner-burning fuel, reducing reliance on imported crude oil and cutting carbon emissions.(With PTI inputs)