PANAJI
More than seven years after it first received environmental clearance (EC), the proposed Integrated Solid Waste Management Facility at Bainguinim is yet to take off, with the Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC) now seeking an extension of the validity of the green clearance granted for the project.
Faced with multiple delays over the years, GWMC has approached the Goa State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (Goa-SEIAA) seeking an extension of the environmental clearance (EC) issued on January 6, 2020, for the proposed facility at Bainguinim. The EC was valid for a period of seven years.
However, instead of granting an immediate extension, SEIAA has directed the corporation to submit a fresh Environmental Management Plan (EMP) for the project through a consultant accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Education and Training (NABET)/Quality Council of India (QCI). The authority will undertake a site inspection after receiving the fresh EMP and subsequently decide the further course of action on the extension request.
The project, which was envisaged with a waste-processing capacity of 250 tonnes per day (TPD), plus 20 per cent additional capacity, was granted environmental clearance in January 2020 with a validity of seven years.
In its representation dated October 26, 2026, GWMC informed SEIAA that four bidders had been shortlisted following technical evaluation and that the corporation was in the process of appointing a Project Management Consultant (PMC) to prepare the final bid document.
GWMC also cited the need for additional time to evaluate the operational performance of the newly constructed solid waste management facility at Cacora in South Goa. The learnings and improvements from the Cacora facility, it said, would be incorporated into the proposed Bainguinim project.
The appointed consultant will prepare the project documentation, including the Detailed Project Report (DPR), feasibility assessments, engineering plans and cost estimates, before managing the subsequent bidding process for selection of the concessionaire.
The project, first proposed in 2019, has faced delays over the years due to technical constraints, administrative bottlenecks and sustained opposition from sections of local residents. Concerns have ranged from environmental impact to proximity to habitation.
