Companies that
have responded
>> Urja Biosystem Pvt Ltd, Pune.
>> Organic Recycling System Pvt Ltd, Navi Mumbai
>> Orga Fuels Energy Pvt Ltd, Jalandhar (Punjab)
>> Tararani Agrotech, Kolhapur
>> Mailhem Group, Pune
MARGAO
Margao Municipal Council’s (MMC) ambitious multi-crore project to set up two 25-tonne bio-methanation plants in a bid to address the Sonsodo waste disposal issue has evoked responses from as many as five companies from Maharashtra and Punjab.
Officials in the know, however, said the Expression of Interest (EOI) floated by the civic body is only the beginning of a long-drawn exercise, and it may take months before the two bio-methanation plants takes shape at Sonsodo.
Margao municipal engineer Diniz D’Mello informed that the civic body would now forward the proposals received from the five companies to the Director of Urban Development to take the process forward, including finalization of the technology and the cost of the project.
The official pointed out that the proposals will be placed before the government-constituted technical panel to go into the entire gamut of issues concerning bio-methanation plants. “This is the first time that a civic body is going for two 25-tonne bio-methanation plants. Naturally, the technical team will go into the issues and the technology that is best suited for Goa and Sonsodo in particular”, the official said.
That’s not all. After the government finalizes the technology, the mater will come back to the civic body to take the process forward. “Based on the technology finalized by the technical committee, the municipality will have to work out the cost of the project”, another official said.
It’s only after the cost is worked out that the proposal will go back to the Director of Urban Development and Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA) for administrative approval to utilize the Finance Commission funds. After the projects receive the nod from the government and obtain the Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) from the PWD, all decks will be cleared for the civic body to float the tender.
“This exercise looks simple, but this is going to consume a lot of time. We are nearing September and it all depends on the government-appointed technical panel to finalize the technology and the project cost. Assuming the panel completes its job by October end, the MMC will take a month and half or two months to float the tender. Further developments on the project will then depend on the election code of conduct with the state going to the Assembly polls early 2021”, informed an official.
Govt needs to move quickly in helping
MMC finalize technology and give nod
MARGAO: During his visit to the Margao Municipal Council around a year ago, Waste Management Minister Michael Lobo had remarked that the Sonsodo problem can be resolved if the government, the three MLAs representing the MMC area, the council and city fathers are on the same page to resolve the issue.
Lobo’s remark may come to haunt the stakeholders as the MMC has set in motion the process to set up two 25-tonne bio-methanation plants to address the burning garbage issue. Funds may not be an issue to execute the project, since the civic body is flush with Finance Commission funds.
The moot question that remains unanswered is how fast the government can help the civic body to finalize the technology and accord permissions, including the administrative nod and financial sanctions to float the tender and implement the project.
For, the 2022 Assembly elections are just a couple of months away and assuming the election code of conduct may come into force by December end, the civic body and the government may have just two months at its disposal to complete the mandatory process and tender the project.
“Completion of the mandatory process depends on how fast the government acts on the proposals and finalize the technology and accord necessary permissions”, remarked a MMC official, when asked when will the civic body shortlist the company to execute the project?
MOOT QUESTION: IS LAND
AVAILABLE AT SONSODO?
MARGAO: Assuming the government cooperates with the Margao civic body to take the bio-methanation project to its logical conclusion, questions are raised whether land is available at Sonsodo to set up the two 25-tonne plants.
For, remediation of the Sonsodo legacy dump is still not complete. And, with the monsoon still not retreating, it may take some time for the contractor to resume remediation work at Sonsodo.
“Right now, the civic body has no spare land at Sonsodo for the two plants. We are waiting for the legacy dump to be cleared before the land is made available to set up the two plants”, a senior official told The Goan.
