PORVORIM
Waste Management Minister Michael Lobo on Wednesday said capacity at the solid waste treatment plant in Saligao has been enhanced to 250 tonnes per day at a cost of Rs 103.87 crore, adding that this increased capacity would be commissioned by November 28.
“Work on the enhancement at the solid waste treatment plant is nearing completion. Trial runs will start in December. The increased capacity will be on a trial run for 3 months and thereafter, will go into full steam,” said Lobo.
“On account of this enhancement in capacity, the plant will generate 1.2 megahertz of power and it will also be able to sell fertilisers to the public.”
The minister said the expansion to the existing facility had been a necessity due to an increase in waste sent to the plant.
“Improved technology has been used in this enhanced capacity, with dry and wet waste to be treated separately. The facility has been set up, operated and expanded by Ms Hindustan Waste Treatment Pvt. Ltd.”
Lobo made it clear that panchayats will have to compulsorily send segregated waste to the plant as per the directives of high court order passed in 2019, failing which they will be penalised.
“Garbage will be monitored strictly by the Goa Pollution Control Board and panchayats will have to send garbage in trucks with leachate tanks, so that waste should not fall or flow on the roads.”
“A deadline will be given to panchayats in north Goa to purchase trucks with leachate tanks. Those panchayats which are weak financially and are unable to purchase trucks with leachate tanks should intimate to the Goa Solid Waste Management Corporation in writing and the corporation will provide them trucks with leachate tanks,” said Lobo.
He informed that 600-700 tonnes of garbage is generated per day in the State and 3-4 such plants are needed to tackle this garbage.
“A second waste treatment plant is being set up in south Goa and it will cater to four constituencies,” said Lobo.
Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation General Manager Sandeep Prabhu Chodnekar, Goa Waste Management Corporation Managing Director Levinson Martins and a director of the Hindustan Waste Treatment Pvt Ltd interacted with the minister on various aspects regarding the solid waste treatment plant in Saligao.
