MARGAO
With the State Election Commission lifting the code of conduct in the five municipal councils where the election process is presently kept on hold, Margao Municipal Council is bracing up to finally shortlist the contractor to set up the first bio-methanation plant in the city.
Decks have been further cleared for the civic body to go ahead for issuing the work order to the prospective bidders by the Director of Municipal Administration (DMA).
Sources in the know informed that the government has found that the two bidders, who have qualified to set up the three bio-methanation plants in Margao, conform to the rules in force.
Given the situation coupled with the fact that the code of conduct is not in force in Margao post-High Court verdict on ward reservations, the Margao Municipal Council is now free to issue the work order to the qualified bidders.
When contacted, Margao Municipal Council Chief Officer Agnelo Fernandes informed that the civic body can now issue the work order to the qualified bidders to set up the plant with the election code of conduct no longer in force in the jurisdiction of the Margao Municipal Council.
Agnelo, however, stuck to his stand that the MMC will go for only one bio-methanation plant in the city initially in order to check the efficacy of this plant before going in for the remaining two.
The Chief Officer’s stand of setting up only one plant has been vetted by the High Powered Coordination Committee (HPCC) headed by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.
Given that the bids made by two successful and qualified bidders have found acceptance by the government, the Chief Officer and the MMC will have to take a call who amongst the two bidders will get the privilege to set up the city’s bio-methanation plant.
The MMC had floated a tender to set up three 5TPD bio-methanation plants at the SGPDA wholesale fish market, retail market and the fish market.
The setting up of the bio-methanation plants in the city had run into a controversy over the number of plants to be set up.
That’s not all. The Chief Officer had received a transfer order last week, raising many an eyebrow whether it was linked to his stand to go in for just one bio-methanation plant in order to test the garbage treatment technology.
