Decks almost cleared for setting up of biomethanation plants

Sources in the know informed that the GWMC technical panel has reportedly accorded its clearance for the bio-methanation plants in Margao. 

However, the file will need the nod of the Waste Management Minister Michael Lobo and Chief Minister Pramod Sawant before the official plan of action goes to the Margao municipality for further action.

The GWMC was requested to prepare the action plan for the Margao Municipal Council for the setting up of the bio-methanation plants in the city as a stop-gap arrangement on the garbage front till a state-of-the-art waste treatment plant takes shape at Sonsodo or Verna in the near future.

GWMC officials, however, pointed out that while the Corporation will send the action plan to the Margao civic body, it is purely for the MMC to take a call whether to go for the plants or not.

Officials further informed that the MMC will take the call on the plants since the civic body will be spending its own funds amounting to Rs 35 crore on the seven plants, with each one estimated to cost close to Rs five crore.

The plants were approved for Margao after the visit of the Waste Management Minister Michael Lobo along with MLAs Digambar Kamat and Vijai Sardesai last month in a bid to resolve the Sonsodo imbroglio. 

Lobo, however, had made it amply clear that the plants will take shape only if the local MLAs, the Margao Municipal Council and the government are all on one page, indicating that these will not see the light of day if there’s no cooperation and coordination amongst the stakeholders.

Incidentally, while the Director of Municipal Administration Dr Tariq Thomas has accorded his approval for the plants to be set up at the SGPDA markets as per the original proposal, Chief Officer Ajit Panchwadkar has apparently decided to wait for the GWMC’s action plan before the two proposals are placed before the council for appropriate decision.