Margao council to go ahead with gasification plant project

Margao: Following the approval of a 10-tonne gasification plant at Sonsoddo, the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) moved closer to its implementation after an inspection visit to a similar facility in Pune. The team expressed satisfaction with the technology’s performance, paving the way for the Rs 7 crore project to proceed as planned.

An MMC team comprising the chief officer, chairperson, engineers, and councillors conducted an inspection of the Pune gasification facility on Saturday. “I am very happy with the way the plant functions here, and so are the other members of the team,” chairperson Damodar Shirodkar told TOI from Pune.

Shirodkar said that the gasification technology’s standout feature is its ability to process unsegregated waste directly. “The important thing about this plant is that it treats mixed garbage, which effectively does away with the need for segregation of waste,” Shirodkar said.

The entire load of mixed garbage is processed directly without preprocessing, with waste ultimately reduced to fly ash suitable for brick manufacturing, Shirodkar said. With Margao managing over 50 black spots generating approximately 5 tonnes of mixed waste daily, the 10-tonne plant capacity is expected to prove to be the right choice for the town’s current needs, he said.

Goa Energy Development Agency (GEDA) has already selected a Pune-based firm through a tendering process worth over Rs 7 crore, and the work order has been issued to the selected contractor. Construction is expected to be completed within two months. “I intend to make the plant functional by year-end 2025 or latest by Jan 26, 2026,” Shirodkar said.

Besides, the MMC team visited a thermocol solvent plant during their Pune visit. The team appears impressed with this facility as well. The technology completely dissolves thermocol waste using a specialised solution, Shirodkar said, adding that he intended to set up the facility in Goa.

“It requires minimal infrastructure with just a 5 sqm area to install a tank and low capital requirements under Rs 50 lakhs. This proposal will soon be presented to the council for its approval before taking a final decision,” Shirodkar said.