The waste management project has hit a roadblock ever since its commissioning around 13 months ago
GUILHERME ALMEIDA
MARGAO: The Sonsodo waste management project has hit a roadblock after its commissioning around 13 months ago.
While Fomento Green claims that tons of waste generated in the commercial capital is being treated by the waste treatment plant, almost all issues connected to the project remain unresolved till date. The visit of Environment Minister Alina Saldanha along with a Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) team, followed by another visit by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, has not helped tide over problems plaguing Sonsodo.
Inquiries revealed that the land fill site and the effluent treatment plant are yet to fall in place at Sonsodo. The fate of scientific capping of the site also remains unknown. Fomento has claimed that the civic body is yet to release payments to the tune of Rs 2.60 crore towards work executed at Sonsodo, while the civic body says the payments have been delayed for want of a consultant to verify the bills. Herald takes a close look at the issues facing Sonsodo, including Margao Municipal Council’s ambitious plan to start door-to-door waste collection exercise.
Landfill site
and ETP
Work on the landfill site virtually lies abandoned since the last three months after local villagers and activists cried foul over the hill cutting carried out without permissions from the Town and Country Planning Department. Since then, work on the landfill site has come to a complete halt. Fomento says that it will take minimum three months to develop the landfill site, but has not set any time frame to commence work on the project. The fate of the effluent treatment plant depends on the landfill site since both the projects are interlinked. In the absence of a landfill site, plastic and other waste that comes to the treatment plant finds its way in the existing dump yard.
Capping
No one knows for sure the future of the project mooted to cap the existing waste dump at Sonsodo on scientific lines. The project had received a nod from the Margao Municipal Council, estimated to cost Rs seven crore, but procedural delays have literally kept the project on hold. A senior municipal official pointed out that fate of the capping project would largely depend on government grants since the civic body has no funds at its disposal to fund such a major project. Incidentally, the Goa State Pollution Control Board has sent signals to the civic body that capping is not a solution to the vexed Sonsodo issue. MMC officials in private admit that the government may not fund the project without a clearance from the pollution board.
Where’s Asnani?
The Margao municipality had last year signed an agreement with Ahmedabad-based consultant P U Asnani to assist the civic body in verifying works executed by Fomento Green at Sonsoso to facilitate payments. Till date, however, the consultant has not made his presence felt at the site. Sources in the MMC said the consultant is now believed to have asked the civic body to first finalise the addendum to the concession agreement entered into between MMC and Fomento before taking up the consultancy work.
Addendum to concession agreement
Both the Margao Municipal Council and the Fomento Green are yet to finalise the details of the addendum in respect of the Concession Agreement. Herald inquiries with the civic body revealed that the municipal lawyer has cleared the draft and is awaiting a nod from Fomento. The addendum will come up before the council for approval only after the draft is vetted by Fomento. MMC Chief Officer Deepali Naik said the civic body is waiting for Fomento to approve the draft so that the same is discussed at the Council.
Fomento awaits payments
It’s over a year now since Fomento had raised as many as three bills amounting to Rs 3.90 crore towards the works executed at the waste treatment plant. While the civic body has cleared the first bill of Rs 1.30 crore, the balance amount is awaiting clearance for want of a consultant to certify the work carried out at Sonsodo.
Compost
Tons of compost generated at the waste treatment plant at Sonsoso is awaiting disposal for want of required permission from the Goa State Pollution Control Board. Fomento CEO Sridhar Kamat said the company cannot approach the agriculture department for certification of the compost unless the GSPCB grants them the necessary permission. A sizeable quantity of compost is lying dumped at the waste treatment plant awaiting its exploitation.
Door-to-door waste collection
Margao Municipal Council’s grandiose plan to initiate door-to-door waste collection with the support of Director of Municipal Administration is yet to kick off till date. Inquiries with the municipal technical section revealed that door-to-door waste collection is being carried out in Madel ward, with the civic body planning to extend the project to the Aquem area. In the absence of door-to-door waste collection, mixed waste generated in the city finds its way to Sonsodo, further aggravating the waste treatment. When this reporter questioned the MMC Chief Officer over the status of door-to-door project, Deepali said awareness campaigns were conducted in five wards, while admitting that her office is awaiting the city fathers to fix dates to hold similar exercise in the remaining 15 wards.
