For fourth time, Goa govt invites bids for Bainguinim waste plant
While waste management minister Atanasio 'Babush' Monserrate and Cumbharjua MLA Rajesh Faldessai locked horns over the setting up of a solid waste management plant at Bainguinim earlier this year, state govt on Tuesday invited bidders for the fourth time to set up the 100TPD (tonne per day) plant.
Govt had earlier sought to set up a 250TPD plant there.
The Rs 140-crore public-private-partnership (PPP) project is on design, build, finance, operate and transfer (DBFOT) basis. The Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC) has approached govt for approval to float a new tender for setting up the plant, and the latter has granted permission. Once the proposal is approved, a request for qualification (RFQ) will be floated for the fourth time.
The bidding process for the PPP project will be divided into two stages. In the first stage — the RFQ stage — prospective bidders will be shortlisted. In the second and final stage, or the request for proposal (RFP) or invitation of financial bids, the shortlisted bidder will be given the RFP.
In 2008, the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) acquired land at Bainguinim to set up the waste management plant, and in 2017, the land was handed over to the GWMC.
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The GWMC held a public hearing, and an environmental clearance was also obtained. At the time, the corporation also invited RFQs for the proposed plant.
In August 2021, all three bidders in the first tender were disqualified as none were found to be eligible. Recently, Union minister for state and North Goa MP, Shripad Naik, urged govt to shift the plant from Bainguinim, considering the sentiments of the people.
Making it clear that the location of the project will not be changed, Monserrate, who is also the Panaji MLA, had said in Jan that he was not sure if Faldessai would be there as an MLA when the project was inaugurated. 'He (Faldessai) will be there to lay the foundation stone (for the plant), but I am not very sure if he will be there to inaugurate it,' Monserrate had said.
'He (Faldesai) was ensuring that the plant would not come up. He is trying to protect his people, and I don't want to comment on that. The plant will come up at Bainguinim,' Monserrate had said.
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