TEAM HERALD
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PANJIM: The government will begin a process of reverse synthesis technology to convert plastic into crude fuel, Urban Development Minister Francis D’Souza announced even as he promised that the in-vessel technology that was being brought in to deal with wet waste would be set up at Saligao and would take another six to seven months to start functioning.
Addressing media persons, D’Souza said that the technology which was already operational in Chennai would be brought to Goa to deal with plastic waste.
“We have studied the technology. It involves a reverse (synthesis) technology where the hydrocarbons are broken down into their original crude residues from which plastic is made,” Souza said.
These plants will be set up one in Bicholim and another somewhere in the South, he added.
He also said that as part of their wet waste treatment plants coming up at Saligao and also in other areas would also feature in-vessel technology where all the garbage would be treated in the huge vessel and would not involve any emissions or stench resulting from the process.
Garbage has been a pressing issue for the state with no fixed plan to tackle the problem for several years.
The Urban Development Department is also planning to organize a trip later this year to Germany, Austria and Hungary for several officials among others to understand the workings of the project.
When questioned about the existing problems faced by the municipalities when it came to garbage handling, D’Souza said that all the municipalities have identified space and only it was a question of getting them to collect waste, segregate and treat it.
“We are assuring them all help including that of procuring organic waste converters,” D’Souza said.
He added that each municipality has been asked to have in place a full-time Solid Waste Management Cell headed by a full-time junior engineer that has to deal seriously with management of municipal solid waste including that of collecting garbage tax in order that the municipalities become self sufficient.
