Pal Pariawala, Mumbai Uncensored, 21st July 2021:
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is all set to appoint a Project Management Consultant (PMC) for the city’s first ever waste to energy plant. This consultant will take up the responsibility of coordination and supervision for 3 and a half years of construction period and 15 years of operation and maintenance.
This project could cost the civic body anywhere around Rs 40 crore. The plant would be able to hold a capacity of processing 600 tonnes or garbage daily, which can generate 4 MW of electricity every day. Even though the contractor was hired in November 2020, the work on site hasn’t kicked off yet. The reason behind this delay is said to be the failure to secure an environment clearance (EC) from the environment ministry. The project requires an EC because the ash generated from the plant would be disposed off at the dumping ground.
A senior official from the solid waste management, said, “Usually, the PMC is appointed during the planning stage of a project, but in this case, they will scrutinize detailed design plans and monitor construction work”. The citizens residing in the nearby areas had expressed their grievances during a public hearing, regarding the project as it would have a negative impact on their lives. Keeping this in mind, the officials said that they were reviewing the project.
