Bio-methanation plant at SGPDA fish market shut due to lack of manpower

When The Goan visited the plant site on Monday morning, the plant was under  lock and key. Further inquiries have only revealed that the plant has been shut down after the couple of workers employed at the plant have headed to their native States to celebrate Dussehra.

What’s interesting to note is that a casual glance at the waste management shed of the Bio-methanation Plant from the rear side revealed that tons of vegetable and fruit waste lay stacked inside. The waste, sources said, could not be treated in the last two days for want of manpower.

When The Goan sought to find out the reasons behind the accumulation of the waste inside the shed, sources said the workers manning the plant have all gone to their native states to celebrate Durga Pooja and Dussehra. 

“The plant needs experienced hands to operate.  Roping in new workers to run the plant will involve training. Hence, it was decided to shut down the plant for a couple of days”, sources said.

Every time, the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on Sonsodo comes up for hearing in the High Court, the Margao Municipal Council makes a submission that the bio-methanation plant handles around five metric tons of waste every day.

A week ago, the bio-methanation plant had come under the scanner of the Goa State Pollution Contrl Board (GSPCB) after an inspection in the month of June last revealed that the plant was operating without the mandatory consent of operate. The GSPCB had further observed that the plant was discharging the slurry into the adjoining fields when the Margao Municipality is required to dispose of the slurry at the PWD-manned Sewage Treatment Plant (STPs).

In fact, the GSPCB had virtually cast responsibility on the Margao Municipality to show how and where is the slurry generated by the bio-methanation plant is disposed of since the Board team could not lay their hands on the receipts issued by the PWD, sewerage for treating the slurry.