PANAJI
The commissioning of Goa’s first Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility, originally scheduled for October 15, has been slightly delayed. Officials reveal it is now expected to commence operations in a week or more, pending the final approval”the Consent to Operate from the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB).
The facility at the Madkai Industrial Development Corporation has been developed by Mangal Iron Pvt Ltd and is directed to strictly adhere to government guidelines.
Transport officials had earlier this month told The Goan that the facility was on track for its official commissioning by October 15. A few remaining clearances, such as PUC and power supply, among others, were being processed simultaneously. However, the only permission left to be obtained is from the GSPCB.
“The approval process is underway with the GSPCB. Once we get the approval, the facility will be commissioned,” a senior officer said, giving updates about the project.
GSPCB Chairman Mahesh Patil confirmed to The Goan that the permission is “under consideration”.
The facility, designed to scrap ageing government vehicles, will also cater to private vehicles. As per the Government of India’s guidelines, private vehicle owners who scrap their old vehicles at the facility will be eligible for tax waivers and other incentives for purchasing a new vehicle.
The government has listed end-of-life government vehicles, which will be scrapped in the first lot. The Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC) will decide which department vehicles will be the first to be scrapped.
Official records indicate that 1.9 lakh vehicles in Goa, including 521 government vehicles, have exceeded 15 years of age and are ready for scrapping. Over the next five years, an additional 3.5 lakh vehicles, primarily from the commercial sector, will also cross the 15-year mark and be eligible for scrapping.
