Team Herald

MARGAO: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar plans to power State-run buses on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) produced at the Saligao garbage treatment plant.

The Chief Minister disclosed this at the inauguration of the sewage treatment plant at Margao, saying three Kadamba Transport buses would initially run on a trial basis from August 15, using ethanol as fuel.

He added that the initial performance would determine the future course of action and was optimistic that by December buses would operate on CNG.

Parrikar clarified that it would not be economically viable to have only three buses running on CNG and so the trial model would use ethanol, which was the next best solution.

“The DPR for the same is ready and according to the garbage production and its CNG potential is enough to run 200 to 250 buses in Goa,” the Chief Minister revealed. He also said filling stations would be installed at Margao and Panjim and did not rule out the possibility of mobile filling station, if required.

Parrikar said he had been to an inauguration of a garbage treatment plant in Pune, where CNG was procured from the waste and his government too could use this technology at plants, which are planned to be constructed in Goa.