MARGAO
Margao Municipal Council’s first 5TPD bio-methanation plant in the commercial capital will become a reality in the next six months.
For, the Margao civic body has issued work order to Pune-based Urja Bio System Pvt Ltd, which has bagged the tender to set up the plant for for Rs 2.40 crore. The bio-methanation plant will come up at the South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA’s) fish market.
Margao Municipal Chief Officer, Agnelo Fernandes told the Goan that the civic body has issued the work order to Ms Urja Bio Systems Ltd with a deadline of 180 days to set up and commission the plant.
Though the government had accorded approval to the MMC to set up three bio-methanation plants, the Chief Officer had adopted a firm stand that the civic body should go in for a lone plant in order to test the efficacy of the bio-methanation technology before going in for all the other plants.
The Chief Officer’s stand had come in favour of the High Powered Coordination Committee (HPCC) headed by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant as the panel constituted on Sonsodo had given the go-ahead to the civic body to set up a lone plant initially.
The MMC had invited bids from prospective companies for the supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the three 5 TPD bio-methanation plants with power generation and operation and maintenance of the same for five years.
Agnelo told 'The Goan' that though Urja and Ms Atmos Power Pvt Ltd had qualified to set up the three bio-methanation plants, the civic body has decided to issue work order only to Ms Urja to set up a plant at the SGPDA fish market. “I was clear in my stand from day one that only one bio-methanation plant should be set up at Margao initially. Depending on the success of the plant, the civic body can consider setting up more such plants in the city,” he said.
Agnelo added: “Let the new council and the government take a call on the question of setting up the remaining two bio-methanation plants”.
To a question, the Chief Officer clarified that the SGDPA had already issued the No Objection Certificate (NOC) to the MMC to set up the plant in the PDA retail fish market. “I have no idea whether the SGPDA has taken a decision to set up its own garbage plant or not. But, the MMC had already obtained a NOC from the PDA for the bio-methanation plant,” he said.
The Margao Municipal Council had witnessed a raging controversy over the number of bio-methanation plants to be set up in the commercial capital. While the outgoing Goa Forward-ruled MMC had batted for seven bio-methanation plants, a proposal which had found favour with Waste Management Minister Michael Lobo, the Urban Development Minister had withheld approval for the proposal, but had instead given sanction for the three plants.
