Only Saligao facility operational full-fledged, Cacora on trial run
One of the biggest challenges Goa faces currently is garbage treatment. The Saligao waste treatment plant has been lately in focus after the High Court ordered that Sonsodo garbage be transported there. The Goan takes a peek into the garbage treatment plants across Goa, and dwells into their state of affairs
PANAJI
The last survey conducted by the Goa Waste Management Corporation in 2018-19 pegs total solid waste generated in the State of Goa at 766 TPD of which 52 per cent was bio-degradable waste, 45 per cent non-bio-degradable waste and the balance, domestic hazardous and sanitary waste. Of the total solid waste, 61 per cent was generated by the households, 35 per cent was from commercial establishments and another 4 per cent was generated from street sweeping activities. The average per capita solid waste in the State was 484 grams per day (gmpd). Of the total four proposed integrated solid waste management facilities, with a total capacity of 700 tones per day, only one facility at Saligao is operational full-fledged while one at Cacora is on trial run. The waste management facilities proposed at Verna and Bainguinim are yet to take shape.
SALIGAO WASTE MANAGEMENT PLANT
The state-of-the-art facility was setup in 2016 to scientifically manage waste and is successfully catering to approximately 30 local bodies along the North coastal belt apart from handling beach cleaning waste and highway cleaning waste. Recently, the waste from the Sonsodo dumping yard has been taken to Saligao for treatment. The facility on an average handles around 240 tons of waste.
The plant, initially designed to handle 100 TPD capacity, was enhanced to 250 TPD +20% at a cost of Rs 103 crore. The facility was built on an existing 25-year old waste dump after remediation. The facility is operated by M/s Hindustan Waste Treatment Pvt Ltd. The plant generates around 32,000 units of electricity per day.
CACORA WASTE MANAGEMENT PLANT
The facility is on similar technology as that of Saligao plant. The 100 TPD+25% SWMF at Cacora primarily caters to the rural and urban population of Quepem, Sanguem, Dharbandora and Canacona taluka. This facility, which is on trial run since May 2022, once full-fledged will provide relief to about 30 village panchayats and 4 municipal councils. This facility is designed to scientifically treat 60 TPD wet waste and 40 TPD dry waste. Since its launch till June 2023, the facility has treated about 3,907 tons of solid waste. The plant has a capacity to generate 21,000 electricity units per day.
VERNA WASTE MANAGEMENT FACILITY
The government has acquired approximately 1 lakh sq mtrs of land in Verna IDC for setting up 250 TPD plant. The proposed facility has been designed for treating 150 tons of wet waste and 100 tons of dry/ intermediate waste. The facility will cater to village panchayats and urban bodies of Mormugao and Salcete talukas.
The Rapid Environmental Impact Assessment Report has been submitted by GWMC through its EIA Consultant M/s Sadekar Enviro Engineers Pvt Ltd to the Goa State Expert Appraisal Committee (Goa-SEAC). GWMC has also submitted an application for Environmental Clearance with MoEF&CC.
Agreement was signed between GWMC and IVL Swedish Research Institute, Sweden to carry out a pre-feasibility study for setting up of Waste to Energy facility for the State of Goa. GWMC has submitted the proposal to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs for funding for the WTE facility.
BAINGUINIM WASTE MANAGEMENT PLANT
The corporation is in process of setting up of the facility based on Recycle & Sorting Line, Segregation, Bio-methanation at Bainguinim to cater to the taluka of Tiswadi and its adjacent panchayats or local bodies. A 250 TPD (+20%) facility was proposed and admeasuring 171312 sq mts.
Considering that waste from adjoining villages of Tiswadi taluka is been taken care by Saligao plant and with Corporation of the City of Panaji in process of setting up multiple bio-methanation facilities within their jurisdiction, that will reduce the incoming waste to proposed SWMF at Bainguinim, the GWMC has decided to set up only 100 TPD facility with a provision of 20 per cent additional capacity and also a provision for further expansion if need arises in future.
Also, the DPR which was prepared for 250 TPD SWMF had estimated the cost at Rs 237 crore and now the same has been revised at Rs 120 crore.
Initially, the Request for Pre-Qualification (RFQ) tender for this facility was floated twice, however on the first occasion none of the bidders qualified and on the second occasion there was only a single qualified bidder. Accordingly, the GWMC revised the Request for Pre-Qualification and floated the same and total three bidders qualified for further. M/s Mahasakthi Bio Enercon P Ltd, M/s SFC Environmental Technologies Pvt Ltd and M/s Three R Management Pvt Ltd are three qualified bidders.
CONSTRUCTION & DEMOLITION WASTE MANAGEMENT FACILITY, AT CURCHIREM, BICHOLIM
Goa generates approximately 525 TPD of C & D Waste. The proposed site for Construction and Demolition Waste Management Facility at Curchirem, Bicholim is feasible for setting up a 500 TPD capacity facility and the process is on.
COMMON BIO-MEDICAL WASTE TREATMENT FACILITY, KUNDAIM, IDC
The Common Biomedical Waste Treatment Facility (CBWTF) at Kundaim IDC was inaugurated in May 2021. The total biomedical waste collected and treated at the facility from October 2021 till April 2023 is 1,938 tons. The CBWTF presently handles waste from a total of 1,263 health care facilities and 6,576 hospital beds within Goa.
COMMON HAZARDOUS WASTE TREATMENT FACILITY, PISSURLEM
As per the inventory report, Goa has 1,587 numbers of generators of hazardous wastes. The CHWTSDF shall comprise a secured landfill of 25,000 TPA capacity and incineration of 1.5 ton/hour of hazardous waste in a plot area of 77,574 sq m at Pissurlem, Sattari. The secured landfill 1 was completed and is in operation since March 2021 and till date 249.85 MT of hazardous waste was received.
E-WASTE MANAGEMENT FACILITY
The GWMC has procured land admeasuring 4,000m2 at Pissurlem Industrial Estate for the E-Waste Management Facility. Construction activity has commenced. Monthly around 10,000 to 12,000 of e-waste is generated in Goa.
