Run waste treatment plant departmentally or rope in contractor: Court grants civic body 7 days time to decide
the goan I network
MARGAO
Taken aback by the sudden turn of events on the Sonsodo imbroglio with Fomento making an offer to hand over the waste treatment facility to the Civic body, all eyes are focused on the Margao Municipal Council’s special meeting scheduled on Friday which will not only take a call on the Fomento offer, but decide whether it will run the waste treatment plant departmentally or rope in a contractor.
Friday’s urgent meeting assumes significance as the MMC has one week’s time at its disposal to take a call on the future road map – how to go about the solid waste treatment after Fomento’s exit.
While Fomento had in its letter asked the Civic body to take over the plant within three days, the South Goa district Court on Thursday gave 7-days for the MMC to take a decision on taking over the treatment facility.
The urgent MMC meeting has also assumed significance given that GWMC has for the moment declined to take over the Sonsodo waste treatment plant facility. On the contrary, GWMC Managing Director Levinson Martins has suggested the MMC either carry out work at the treatment facility departmentally or float an Expression of Interest to engage an expert to run the plant. It is learnt that GWMC has also promised to train MMC workers in managing the waste plant run on the windrow technology.
Given the fast pace developments unfolding on the Sonsodo issue, CO Ajit Panchwadkar went into a huddle with municipal engineers and other staff on Thursday to discuss Fomento’s offer and finalise the plan of action.
“Certain issues have cropped up after Fomento submitted the letter to the Civic body on Wednesday offering to hand over the plant. The Council has called for an urgent meeting on Friday to discuss the emerging developments and take a decision how to go about the situation,” remarked MMC Chief Officer Ajit Panchwadkar.
The CO along with municipal engineers, sanitary inspectors Viraj Arabekar, Sanjay Sangelkar, MMC lawyer Adv Maria Mesquita were all huddled around the Municipal High Court lawyer, S Padiyar at the South Goa district Court after the Court granted seven days time for the civic body to take a decision on Fomento’s offer to hand over the Sonsodo WTP.
Handing over plant to MMC in public interest: Fomento