Team Herald
PANJIM: The State government has decided to approach Centre for 40 per cent funding for the proposed Integrated Solid Waste Management Plant (ISWMP) at Bainguinim, a Centralised facility that will treat 250 tons of mixed waste per day (TPD) from five constituencies of Tiswadi and parts of Ponda Taluka.
Speaking to media persons, post Goa State Environment Protection Council meeting, Minister for Waste Management Michael Lobo said that the Environment Clearance to the Bainguinim project will be granted by this week, post which expression of interest would be invited.
“The total cost of the project is around Rs 250 crore of which, we would approach Centre to fund the 40 per cent of State government share, which will be around Rs 100 crore through Swacch Bharat Mission,” Lobo said.
“This will help in reducing the burden on State exchequers,” Minister said adding that the balance Rs 150 crore would be put in by the contractor, who will be selected for running the plant.
Lobo said that the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) of the facility is completed and the plant will be in lines with Cacora Waste Treatment facility.
The Nagpur based National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) in its EIA report has said that the proposed facility will improve the aesthetics of the surrounding areas and improve the quality of life, in specific the improvement of health and indirectly will also create some employment to the local people.
The Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) had in 2009 acquired 1.71 lakh sqmtrs of land at Bainguinim to set up the ISWMP to handle the waste generated in the capital city. However, the same was caught in legal battle following objection raised by the local village panchayat and others.
In 2017, the project was handed over to Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC) with CCP transferring the land to the waste corporation.
