Chandigarh integrated waste management plant: Firms suggest changes in proposal conditions

The meeting regarding the integrated waste management plant of the high-power technical committee constituted by Chandigarh administration was attended by UT adviser Dharampal, MC commissioner Anindita Mitra and mayor Anup Gupta

The municipal corporation (MC) on Monday conducted a pre-bid meeting for setting up the integrated waste processing plant at Dadumajra, where eight private firms submitted their queries and recommendations in the terms and conditions of the project’s request for proposal (RFP).

Aimed at effectively tackling Chandigarh’s daily waste generation of 550 MT, the new integrated waste management plant, with a capacity of 600 tonnes per day, is proposed to comprise of three facilities – one each for dry, wet and horticulture waste. (HT File Photo)

The meeting of the high-power technical committee constituted by UT administration was attended by UT adviser Dharampal, MC commissioner Anindita Mitra and mayor Anup Gupta, among others.

Mitra said, “During the meeting, eight firms submitted their queries. We will present them to the technical committee.”

A member of the committee said, “Companies made several recommendations for change in the RFP. They cleared their doubts about monthly tipping fee that will be paid by MC for plant’s processing. The firms were of the view that the a 24-month deadline be set up and the waste plant should be considered only after getting the environmental clearances .”

The high-power committee, however, were of the view to give average monthly tipping fee to the firms.

The firms also requested the committee to allow firms to collaborate to become eligible for the project. Only the firms having 10 or more years of experience in processing dry and wet waste were eligible to participate in the biddings. The committee is likely to change this condition to ensure more participation.

Meanwhile, mayor Anup Gupta said, “This is another step in setting up the plant in Chandigarh. The committee will now discuss the recommendations and changes, if any, will be made in the RFP.”

Aimed at effectively tackling the city’s daily waste generation of 550 MT, the new plant with a capacity of 600 tonnes per day is proposed to comprise of three facilities – one each for dry, wet and horticulture waste. Spread in 20 acres, it will be set up on a part of the Dadumajra landfill. As per the current proposal, the project will be allotted for a total of 17 years, including two years for construction, and 15 years for operation and maintenance.

The MC’s failure to run the solid waste processing plant efficiently has been among the reasons for Chandigarh’s poor show in the last few swachh survekshan rankings, and was also a central issue during the 2021 MC elections.