MARGAO
Waste Management Minister Michael Lobo’s stand that the Goa Waste Management Corporation would take Margao Municipal Council’s proposal to set up seven biomethanation plants to its logical conclusion has thrown up questions in the corridors of the municipal building and has cast a shadow on the fate of the two biomethanation plants already tendered by civic body.
Michael Lobo’s statement that the GWMC will install the seven biomethanation plants at Sonsodo after the municipal polls has come at a time when MMC Chief Officer, Agnelo Fernandes, has just replied to the pre-bid queries raised by the prospective bidders.
The question that has come to the fore in the corridors of the civic body is whether the municipality will take the tendering process of the two biomethanation plants approved by the DMA to its logical conclusion or will Lobo’s statement to go in for the seven biomethanation plants after the civic polls will cast doubts over the two plants.
Margao municipal officials in the know pointed out that though the Waste Management Minister may still bat for the seven biomethanation plants, pledging to revive the proposal after the civic polls, it’s purely for the government to take a call whether it is in favour of the two tendered plants or not.
“Since the MMC has replied to the pre-bid queries on the two tendered biomethanation plants, the next stage will be to cap the formalities and issue the work order to the contractor. Once the civic body issues the work order to the contractor, it will be difficult for anyone to scrap the project,” MMC sources said.
Another official pointed out that though the Waste Management Minister has vowed to revive the seven biomethanation plants proposal after the civic polls, the fate of the proposal will depend on the poll result. For, it’s an open secret that the seven biomethanation plants proposal was approved by the outgoing Goa Forward-backed council and opposed by the BJP and Congress-backed city fathers.
“The seven plants may get a fresh lease of life only in the event the GFP forms the next council. Otherwise, the proposal may be confined to the dusty records of MMC and the DMA,” another official added.
The Waste Management Minister had on Tuesday pointed out that the seven biomethanation plans at Sonsodo will see the light of day after the civic polls. In fact, Lobo was on record stating that the two biomethanation plants approved by the Director of Municipal Administration may not serve the purpose as the plants are proposed to be set up at two different places.
