MARGAO: What’s next at Sonsodo, is a question that may come to haunt the Margao Municipal Council and the government as the Goa Waste Management Corporation has started the process of carting out piled up waste from the Sonsodo waste management shed.
Reason: Nothing seemed clear whether the government would set up the proposed 17TPD bio-digester at Sonsodo for the day-to-day treatment of waste generated in the commercial capital, or whether the government would set up the proposed plasma gasification plant at Sonsodo, a proposal mooted by the Goa Energy Development Agency (GEDA) based on a technology adopted by a Pune-based start-up company.
GWM proposal to set up 15TPD bio-digester at Sonsodo
As of now, the GWMC has proposed to set up a 15TPD bio-digester at Sonsodo, estimated to cost over ₹15-odd crore. The estimated cost of the project, includes setting up of the treatment plant, an effluent treatment plant (ETP), and a shed to house the proposed plant.
No concrete decision, however, has been taken on the proposal since the GWMC is believed to be working on the estimates based on the Expression of Interest (EoI) floated by the agency. “Once the estimates are ready, the proposal will be sent to the Margao Municipal Council for a decision and to seek administrative approval for utilisation of funds under the 15th Finance Commission,” sources informed.
That’s not all. The Goa Energy Development Agency (GEDA) is still in the process of receiving independent reports from the Goa State Pollution Control Board, Goa Waste Management Corporation, Goa State Urban Development Agency, and the Margao Municipal Council over the feasibility of the plasma gasification plant to be set up at Sonsodo as a pilot project
Govt seeks expert opinion on feasibility of plasma gasification plant
Apart from reports from these agencies, the government is likely to get expert opinions on the feasibility of the plasma gasification plant before making further decision on adopting the technology at Sonsodo.
GWMC Managing Director, Levinson Martins, however, suggested that the MMC should not waste time, but start treatment of daily wet waste at the Sonsodo shed through the windrow method pending the setting up of the waste treatment plant at the site.
Presently, the Margao Municipality is sending the daily waste, around 30 tons, to the Saligao and Cacora waste treatment plants for treatment for want of any treatment facility at Margao.
