MAPUSA
In a significant development concerning Goa’s long-pending electronic waste management plans, the State government has virtually shelved its proposed flagship e-waste treatment facility at Pissurlem Industrial Estate after the selected contractor failed to begin construction work even five years after the project was awarded.
The Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC) has terminated the concession agreement with the private contractor and is instead planning to rope in a private agency to handle collection and disposal of electronic waste generated across the State.
The abandoned project, once projected as a major step towards scientific disposal of hazardous electronic waste in Goa, had already cost the exchequer nearly Rs 65 lakh towards preliminary infrastructure and project-related expenses.
GWMC Managing Director Harish Adconkar confirmed that the proposed facility at Pissurlem has been “shelved for the time being”, arguing that a government-run plant may no longer be economically viable.
“There is no point in investing in a State-owned facility if private players are ready to establish and operate such facilities at their own cost. To sustain such a project requires significant private resources and operational expertise,” Adconkar said.
Project stalled despite
repeated extensions
The GWMC had acquired around 4,000 square metres of land at the Pissurlem Industrial Estate from the Goa Industrial Development Corporation (Goa-IDC) for the proposed facility.
In April 2021, the corporation had issued a Letter of Award to CAM Industrial Services after selecting the firm through a Quality-and-Cost-Based Selection process under a Public-Private Partnership model. The contract envisaged the design, construction, financing, operation and transfer of the e-waste management facility for a period of 15 years.
However, despite repeated reminders, follow-ups and multiple deadline extensions granted by the corporation, the concessionaire allegedly failed to initiate construction activity within the stipulated timeframe.
GWMC officials said the decision to terminate the contract was taken during the corporation’s 16th Board meeting following prolonged inaction on the project.
Government shifts strategy
With the Pissurlem project now abandoned, the State government appears to be shifting towards an outsourcing model for e-waste handling.
According to Adconkar, the GWMC is preparing to float an Expression of Interest (EOI) to appoint a dedicated private agency that will coordinate collection and disposal of electronic waste in Goa.
“Once the agency is finalised, the name, address and contact details of the vendor will be made public so that citizens can directly contact them for collection of e-waste,” he said.
At present, five agencies empanelled with the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) are engaged in handling e-waste generated in the State.
Rising e-waste,
weak network
The shelving of the State’s only proposed dedicated e-waste facility comes at a time when Goa continues to witness a steady rise in discarded electronic items including mobile phones, computers, televisions, batteries and household appliances.
Environmental experts have repeatedly flagged concerns that in the absence of adequate collection centres and a robust State-wide management mechanism, much of Goa’s electronic waste continues to end up with unauthorised scrap dealers or is dumped along with municipal garbage in landfills.
Improper handling of e-waste poses serious environmental and health risks due to the presence of toxic materials such as lead, mercury and cadmium.
Although the E-Waste Management Rules were notified by the Centre in 2016 mandating scientific collection, segregation and recycling, implementation on the ground in Goa has remained patchy with limited public awareness and inadequate infrastructure.
