CM promises grant to MMC to meet financial obligations
MARGAO, JAN 18
The High Powered Committee on Sonsodo headed by Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat has favoured one-time payment of Rs 7.31 crore to Fomento to set up the waste treatment plant at Sonsodo, with the Chief Minister promising financial grant to the Margao Municipal Council to meet the financial obligations.
The draft concession agreement will now be placed before the meeting of the Margao Municipal Council on January 21 for ratification by the City Fathers.
“There’s an unanimous view that the Margao civic body should pay to Fomento the entire amount of Rs 7.31 crore one time to avoid the financial burden of Rs 12-odd crore if the payment is staggered for the next 25 years”, Kamat told newsmen after attending a power point presentation arranged by Chief Officer Prasanna Acharya for the benefit of the City Fathers and members of the High Powered Committee. Urban Development MLA Joaquim Alemao, MLAs Reginaldo Lourenco and Damu Naik were present.
The Chief Minister said that if the municipal council opts to make one time payment of Rs 7.31 crore to Fomento as per the RPF, the government would not mind providing a financial grant to the civic body.
Replying to a question, he said the civic body would obtain Rs two crore bank guarantee from Fomento till the waste treatment plant is set up at the dumping site. “Beyond five years, Fomento would submit Rs 50 lakh bank guarantee to the council”, Kamat said, adding that these precautions should take care of any apprehensions in the future.
“After going through the presentation and the comparative statement made by the chief officer, it appears that the civic body would have been liable to make one time payment of Rs 21 crore to Ramky and Rs 7.31 crore to Fomento. While the staggered payment to Fomento for the next 25 years works out Rs 12-odd crore, it would have been Rs 79 crore if Ramky had bagged the award”, Kamat said.
Referring to the general impression on the project, the Chief Minister said the people of Margao would not remain quite if the waste plant is not set up within the time frame. “Even smaller Councils like Cuncolim and Bicholim have their own waste treatment plants”, he said, adding that the government want results from the Margao civic body and will not mind sanctioning additional money to meet the financial requirements.
Meanwhile, Councillor Pratima Coutinho has demanded that the civic body provide a copy of the draft agreement to the city fathers before the council meeting to study various aspects of the agreement.
At today’s power point presentation, Coutinho sought to know why the high powered committee has till date not finalized the consultant. She also demanded to know whether bio-medical waste and carcass of animals would be accepted at Sonsodo after the plant is set up at the site.
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