the goan I network
MARGAO
In a major development in respect of the Margao Municipal Solid waste management project, Fomento has on Wednesday written a letter to the Margao Municipal Council expressing its willingness to immediately hand over the Sonsodo waste treatment facility to the civic body in the interest of the city.
The letter dashed off to the MMC Chief Officer on Wednesday comes a day before the South Goa district Court was scheduled to resume hearing of Fomento’s arbitration application on Thursday
In the letter, Fomento pointed out that the company will immediate hand over the solid waste treatment plant and has urged the civic body to take over the treatment plant within 3-4 days. As far as the termination payment amounting to Rs 14 crore is concerned, which was claimed by Fomento, the letter stated that the payment issue may be decided and settled through the arbitration process which has already been set in motion.
Fomento has pointed out that the Margao Municipality take over the plant and run the operation of the waste treatment facility with the help of the technicians, supervisors and workers presently running the plant.
Fomento representative, Sudin Raiturkar said the letter was inwarded at the Margao Municipality on Wednesday and a copy of the letter was handed over to the Chief Officer Ajit Panchwadkar for information.
“Fomento has taken the decision in the interest of Madgavkars and the city. The plant is literally choked with waste, making running of the plant difficult. As far as the termination payment is concerned, let the issue be resolved through the process of arbitration,” he added.
Smooth transition
Raiturkar pointed out that it was now for the MMC to either run the plant departmentally or with the help of the existing manpower by taking them on contract or through a competent authority.
That Fomento was willing to hand over the waste treatment plant facility became evident when it had filed an affidavit in the South Goa district court a fortnight ago, saying the company has been keen at all times to ensure there is a smooth transition and hand over of the project facility to the MMC so that the garbage disposal arrangement of Margao city is not adversely affected in any manner.
More ever, Fomento had mentioned in the affidavit that it was ready to hand over the plant for operations to a competent authority such as the Goa Waste Management Corporation, adding that the company only seeks appropriate protective orders from the district Court for handing over operations of the plant to the MMC or such competent authority as the Court may direct.
