MARGAO
Bulk waste generators in the commercial capital are back on the radar of the city garbage handlers. For, in a bid to reduce the quantum of waste that finds its way to the Sonsodo waste management plant every day, the Margao Municipal Council has drawn up an action plan to get the bulk waste generators, including major housing cooperative societies, to treat its garbage within its premises.
Around 85 bulk waste generators have been identified across Margao. And, if officials are to be believed, these bulk generators can help the civic body reduce a minimum of five tonnes of wet waste that reaches Sonsodo daily.
Margao council’s plan for these bulk generators to treat their waste became evident last week when civic officials in a presentation made to the 3rd Goa State Finance Commission unveiled its plan of action on the waste handling front.
A senior civic official, Assistant Engineer Vishant Naik told the commission that the civic body is set to implement the scheme of waste treatment for the bulk waste generators on priority. Naik pointed out that the treatment by the bulk waste generators, with 25 or more apartments, will help the civic body in managing the daily waste in a big way.
“There is one mega housing society in the city which is generating around 600 kilograms of wet waste daily. If the bulk waste generator treats its garbage within the complex, we'll get a big relief at Sonsodo,” he added.
Margao generates around 58 tonnes of garbage daily on average, of which 38 tonnes is considered wet garbage, with the remaining 20 tonnes dry waste. The civic body is grappling with the management of wet waste, even though a system is being put in place to handle the dry waste.
For, the Sonsodo plant is down in the dumps, with no treatment of waste worth its name taking place at the shed. Municipal trucks' unloaded daily waste from the city at Sonsodo is getting piled up inside the shed for want of treatment.
To a question, the assistant engineer said the bulk waste generators will have to set up bio-digesters to handle their daily waste, adding that the civic body will assist them to install the infrastructure.
Incidentally, the Margao municipality initiated the process of getting the bulk waste generators to set up their waste treatment facilities around two years ago. Municipal officials had an awareness programme at the major housing societies to prepare the ground for the purpose but in vain.
Scheme unveiled for Margao’s bulk waste generators yet to take off
THE GOAN NETWORK
MARGAO
Will the Margao Municipal Council explain the fate of the scheme unveiled for the city bulk waste generators around two years and a half ago after the process was set in motion by former Director of Municipal Administration (DMA) Tariq Thomas?
As many as four chief officers and three elected chairpersons have presided over the Margao civic body, but the scheme is yet to take off.
In January 2020, Municipal Director Thomas descended on the Margao municipality with a single-point agenda to get the civic body to bring the bulk waste generators to set up treatment facilities for their waste. The DMA told the civic body in clear terms that it is mandatory to set up their treatment facility at the complex.
Stating that the High Court has issued orders to bulk waste generators to set up their facility, the DMA said the civic body has decided to assist by offering incentives, including some relief on the sanitation tax.
Interestingly, when the bulk waste generators scheme was launched by the civic body, the MMC had identified around 160-odd generators across the city. Surprisingly, the civic body has now informed the State Finance Commission that the city plays host to only around 85 bulk generators.
Fate of two 5TPD bio-methanation plants tendered by MMC unknown
THE GOAN NETWORK
MARGAO
Only a lone 5TPD bio-methanation plant has taken shape at the SGPDA mega retail market, which is considered a bulk waste generator.
The fate of the remaining two 5TPD bio-methanation plants, which were tendered and the contractor shortlisted by the civic body, however, remains unknown. The three 5TPD bio-methanation plants, each costing around Rs 2.4 crore, were proposed by the civic body in the city to reduce the amount of waste finding its way to the Sonsodo plant.
Sadly, the remaining two 5 TPD plants, proposed in the markets, including the SGPDA wholesale fish market and the Gandhi vegetable market, are yet to see the light of day.
It’s still unclear if the civic body has issued the work orders for the two bio-methanation plants since it was decided by the High Powered Coordination Committee (HPCC) headed by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant that the remaining two plants would get the nod only if the first plant is cleared by the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) in all respects.
