MARGAO: The ordinary meeting of the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) discussed and resolved to reject the proposal of Tesla Green black-hole technology for garbage disposal at Sonsoddo.
The meeting also witnessed angry outbursts from the ruling councillors over the release payment of Rs 2.5 crore to Fomento Green, to which the Chair said that the municipality was bound by the MoU.
The councillors, who had gone to Bangalore to observe the Tesla Green black-hole tech machine, said that the machine looked like a flour mill. They informed that they waited for the operator to start the machine, but it never took off.
“As far as the black-hole technology is concerned, two parties (Echo Pro and Tesla Green) proposed the same for Sonsodo. In May, some councillors had gone to Bangalore to observe the technology and recently 17 more councillors went; they are not satisfied. We were asked to decide upon the proposal. Since the councillors are not satisfied with the technology, we won’t go ahead with it,” Municipal Chairperson Dr Babita Prabhudessai said.
“The Council would have taken a liability in the form of this tech. We should drop this and I think what is not feasible shouldn’t be brought in,” she added.
“The plant in Bangalore never worked,” Arthur D’Silva said.
Meanwhile, the ruling councillors took the chairperson to task over release of Rs 2.4 crore the Fomento Green for the agreed infrastructure work cost. “We don’t know what they are doing at the Fomento Green plant and we have taken a decision to pay them the money. We want to see the agreement,” Councillor Peter Fernandes said.
Councillor Terrance Barbosa said, “Don’t confirm the minutes of the meeting that approved payment to Fomento Green; give us the agreement,” he demanded.
Councillor Peter Fernandes asked, “How did you sign the cheque without the confirmation of the minutes?”
Chairperson Babita said, “May be it was my error to release the money. However, we have released part payment and Rs 1.3 crores is still with us. The reason we have released the payment is because we are bound by the MoU with the Fomento Green and it is towards infrastructure not the work.”
