Assam to get its first solid waste management project

Guwahati, Oct 29 (UNI) Assam, although reeling under severe power crisis, is all set to get its first-of-its-kind solid waste management project with a capacity of generating six MW per year.

Inaugurating the project here today, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said the unit would be implemented under Public Private Partnership (PPP) and a special purpose vehicle(SPV) christened Guwahati Waste Management Company Private Ltd had been formed, in this regard. The project would become operational in a few years, entailing an investment of Rs 102 crore, he added.

Assam currently needs close to 800 MW and the state heavily depends on the power imported from hydel power project of the NEEPCO. As the water-level recedes in the winter, the deficit is further raised to the tune of 200 MW.

Assam Guwahati Development Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said besides generating power, the unit would handle the garbage system of the growing city.

Mr Sarma informed that it would involve 11 NGOs initially for all the 60 Municipal wards of the city. The project included source segregated waste collection from individual doorstep, regular street sweeping, drain cleaning activity, identification of secondary collection points and processing of the solid waste, he added.

The state government had given 120 Bighas at Boragaon for setting up the unit, sources said.

According to sources, the project would be implemented by Ramky Enviro Engineers Limited that would invest Rs 67 crores and the unit would be set up by West Bengal-based Amrit Bio-energy and Industries Ltd.

The plant would convert solid waste to pallets, from which thermal power would be generated by heating, sources said adding rice husk and wood dust would be used, in this regard.

Assam has already started playing with smaller power units and the foundation stone for a maiden biomass power plant in the entire Northeast was laid in Bangtahi village under Morigaon district earlier this year.

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