Gujarat is headed towards achieving a distinct place in reducing emission from carbon dioxide and methane and thereby earn carbon credits through its World Bank-aided solid waste treatment project. The first of its kind project in India is being implemented in urban local bodies (ULBs) across the state. The Gujarat Urban Development Company (GUDC) which is implementing the municipal solid waste management project in the ULBs has already come up with a draft project design document (PDD) to be submitted to the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Board of the UNFCCC. "We have already installed compost plants at 75 of the total 159 ULBs across Gujarat to compost the solid waste with the help of worms and thereby decompose the organic waste into manure. This process has helped prevent the generation and emission of methane into the atmosphere. The WB-aided project undertaken as the CDM activity makes us eligible to earn carbon finance under the Kyoto protocol," said GUDC managing director Srinivas Katikithala.

As per the project details, the vermin-compost plants being set up at the 159 ULBs across Gujarat would treat a total waste of 2,200 tonnes per day. The project has the potential to earn revenues of about 16.5 million US dollars in carbon credits for the first 10 years. The amount to be generated through this CDM project will be utilised for the implementation of the project as well as for the operation and maintenance of all the compost plants. Under the agreement signed with the WB, the Bank's Community Development Carbon Fund will purchase the first 10 million carbon emission reductions (CERs) from the project. In turn, the World Bank will sell this to the developed countries. The Bank has already appointed M/s LFG, Denmark as a consultant to help GUDC prepare a project design document to be submitted to the CDM Board of UNFCCC to claim carbon finance.