Howrah Municipal Corporation to reach agreement for setting up solid waste-powered plant during BGBS

The Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS) has been set as the target by the Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC) to engage into an agreement with a private developer to set up a plant where power will be generated using solid wastes.

Nilanjan Chatterjee, commissioner of HMC, said: “Steps were being taken accordingly so that the agreement can be done during the BGBS after completing all the necessary procedures for the same.”

Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST) at Shibpur in Howrah will be carrying out a survey to provide technical appraisal for the project and subsequently, the global tender will be floated. It would take around seven to 10 days for IIEST for their assessment and rest of the procedures are also expected to be completed before the BGBS that is scheduled to be held on January 20 and 21. So that the agreement with the company, that will win the bid for the PPP project, can be signed during BGBS to highlight the initiatives for solid waste management that is one of key issues globally for restoration of the environment.

The project is to set up a power plant at Domjur in Howrah, where non-segregated garbage will be used, at an estimated cost of Rs 3,600 crore on a plot of 16 hectre.

At present, there are hillocks made out of garbage which is creating environment hazard at Belgachia that is under the jurisdiction of the HMC and with the setting up of the project the garbage will be cleared. The local residents can stay there in a pollution free environment.

The plant will generate around 108 mW power every hour. HMC will be providing around 3000 metric tonne solid waste every day.

Municipalities in the adjacent areas including Uttarpara-Kotrang, Konnagar, Chandannagar, Serampore, Rishra and Bhadreswar will be providing another 2000 metric tonne non-segregated garbage.

Chatterjee said that Firhad Hakim, the state Urban Development minister, has shown keen interest for the project as it would be a major step in terms of solid waste management and Mayor Rathin Chakraborty is taking the all steps necessary for implementation of the project.

According to the official, the power that will get generated will be sold to WBSEDCL and to other states as well. But concrete decision on it would be taken later.

Since there is no available infrastructure of CESC where the power plant will come at Domjur, WBSEDCL will be providing the necessary assistance to create infrastructure to supply the power to the nearest sub-station.