Hyderabad, February 23: GHMC has lobbed the RDF garbage-to-power plant issue into the government court. Stating that all the 3,800 metric tonnes garbage generated daily has been allotted, it wants the government to consider the firm’s request for additional garbage from other ‘sources’.
It is also not committing towards making the remaining Rs. 5.45 crore for equity participation of 26 per cent after having invested Rs.1 crore initially during the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) three years ago. A release order for Rs. 2 crore to the firm has been kept pending since 2008.
But, luckily the Rs.114 crore project, to generate 11 megawatts of power burning 700 metric tones of municipal solid waste (MSW), has managed to get support from the Union Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE), one among the 10 projects in the country.
It has got a capital subsidy of Rs. 10 crore as well as central excise duty and customs duty exemption. The MNRE sought clarification from GHMC if an additional 500 MTs required for the project can be provided as per its own assessment.
However, GHMC having already committed towards supplying garbage 700 MTs each to Selco (not functional), Sree Venkateswara Power Projects (yet to start) and another 1,700 MTs to Ramky for the Integrated Solid Waste Management Project is reluctant to give any such undertaking or give any letter endorsing the project.
“We want some communication from GHMC to MNRE about their continuing support to the project and subject to availability consider the increase in supply of garbage later. Only then MNRE will give us a certificate otherwise, the Chennai Port has threatened to auction our machinery lying there for the last 80 days and imported from China. Financial institutions too are not releasing remaining loan amount pending release of balance equity,” bemoan RDF officials.
Interestingly, the Environment Protection, Training & Research Institute (EPTRI) mandated by GHMC has not only endorsed the plant but also suggested waiving the royalty and wheeling charges among other things.
Construction of RDF plant, conceived a decade ago, is in an advanced stage on a 26-acre site at Bibinagar and it has already inked a 20-year power purchase agreement with Tata Power.
-Agencies