Project at Bainguinim to be ready in 12 months
TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar Friday informed the House that the government was examining various aspects to finalise the technology and contracting company to build three solid waste management and treatment plants in Goa.
The plan is to have one state level plant for Goa at Bainguinim and thereafter a plant each in the North and South Goa. The Bainguinim plant is expected to be completed by May 2014, if work on it gets underway this May.
Parrikar said that before finalising any technology he would want the legislators and sarpanchas of some panchayats to inspect successfully operating plants in the country. “I don’t want any failed project in the State,” said Parrikar.
There are four parties interested in setting up the State level plant on BOOT basis and the government is hoping to finalise a contractor within the next month and a half.
The chief minister also said that there is need for an environment impact assessment to be done and the documents in this regard have been sent to NEERI while the Goa State Pollution Control Board will also have to vet the project proposal. The reports are expected between the next two to three weeks.
The government is expecting to finalise all requirements for the State level plant proposed at Bainguinim by May this year. “Thereafter the plant will be ready within 12 months,” he said.
The chief minister said that except for the Panjim city corporation, no other municipal council or panchayat is segregating its garbage at source. He went on to say that garbage collection, management and disposal are prime duties of local self governing bodies.
While the government is also proposing to have working stations for people to deposit their waste, he said that mechanisms are proposed to be put in place for segregation of mixed garbage either by hand or through automation.
Non-biodegragable waste put under high pressure can be reduced to the minimum and sent to landfill sites, its extract could be used as gas for manufacture of power or fuel.
While several temporary solutions are being worked out to keep Goa clean, the long term permanent solution is to have segregation of garbage at source and landfill sites.
Parrikar said that the Task Force set up to monitor all these waste management mechanisms was doing its job and urged members of the Goa Assembly to put up their proposals for local level waste management, if any, for approval.
This matter was raised by Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte who drew the attention of the chief minister to various obstacles faced by him in trying to work out measures for garbage disposal.
Calangute MLA Michael Lobo also impres ed on the government to take up the matter seriously. “Tourists say that the name of Goa is going down due to garbage,” Lobo claimed.
