Gurgaon-based firm is yet to prove its credentials in garbage treatment
the goan I network
MAPUSA
Sixteen councillors gave a green signal to the proposal on Wednesday, while Madumita Narvekar opposed the company, which so far has no experience in treating waste.
Observing I Ecotech, which had earlier quoted Rs 1,250 per tonne per month to treat the city waste, came down to Rs 800 per tonne per month, a whopping 36 percent climb down to bag the contract.
Further, the company was willing to pay back MMC Rs 200 per tonne per month as handling charges for waste conversion, which effectively means that the council has to pay Rs 600 per tonne per month to the company to treat the waste.
The company which prides its contribution towards the “Make in India” effort has not set up any such plants in any part of the country so far.
“Right now, the company has not set up such plants anywhere in the country, although they are negotiating with at least two to four agencies in other states,” MMC Chairperson Sandip Falari said to a question raised by a councilor.
The company was willing to invest Rs 15 to Rs 20 crore to build a treatment plant on a land of about 4,000 to 5,000 sq mts provided by the council. MMC will have to pay Rs 800 per tonne per month to the company for the service, besides taking care of water and electricity which will go in treating the waste.
The company needs 20,000 litres of water per day and 75 HP electrical load.
MMC will have to also ensure that a minimum 25 tonnes of garbage is supplied to the company on a
daily basis.
Further, the company wants to run the plant for 10 years with an option to renew it for another 10 years or offer a buy back facility to MMC.
The company will treat all type of garbage including bio-medical waste, except for construction debris.
At the moment, MMC generates 25-30 tonnes of garbage on daily basis and spends around Rs 5.50 lakh per month to treat the garbage at the Assagao plateau site.
“Right now, the council is managing the city garbage. Here, there is a company that is ready to process it. I think it’s a good deal,” the chairperson said. He said there are two segments for the garbage treatment process. One part is day-to-day garbage collection and the second is treatment of the garbage at the Assagao site. “The day-to-day garbage collection will continue only the second part will be taken over by the company,”
he said.
16 councillors say ‘yes’, but one raises fears by saying ‘what if something goes wrong’
MAPUSA: While most of the ruling councilors were impressed by the company’s proposal, the lone opposition councilor, Madumita Narvekar expressed reservations in giving a blank cheque to a company which had no experience in the field.
“What if something goes wrong while processing the waste? Who will be held accountable,” Narvekar questioned.
She said the council may stand to gain financially, but once the contract was signed the control won’t be with the council, but with the firm.
Acknowledging the councillor’s concern, MMC chairperson said the council was taking a risk in that aspect.
Narvekar further said if the council invited tenders for waste treatment plants, there may be companies that could come with better offers.
“Let us float a tender, if we don’t get any response, then we can go with this company. What’s the hurry,” she argued.
Vice Chairperson Marlene D’Souza, former chairperson Sudhir Kandolkar, Franky Carvalho, Sanjay Mishal, Tushar Tople, Rajsingh Rane and Martin Carraco all batted for the proposal and finally agreed to give a green signal to the project.
