A2Z to restore garbage processing plant in Indore in 15 days

The A2Z waste management company in Indore has decided to restore its 500 metric tonne garbage-processing unit, which has been lying non-functional for over five months after a major fire gutted the plant.

The A2Z waste management company in Indore has decided to restore its 500 metric tonne garbage-processing unit, which has been lying non-functional for over five months after a major fire gutted the plant.

The A2Z’s garbage processing plant has been lying non-functional at Devguradia trenching site in Indore. (Shankar Mourya/HT photo)

Rajesh Agarwal, joint managing director of the firm, said, “The plant should be operational in the next 15 days. It will (cost) at least Rs 5 crore to restore the plant.”

The company’s chairman and managing director Amit Mittal, along with Rajesh Agarwal and legal advisors, visited the city and held discussions with Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) officials recently and arrived at this decision.

Rajendra Rathore, a mayor-in-council member and in-charge of solid waste management in the city, said, “The company had signed a 25-year contract for waste processing in the city, of which only five years have passed till now. So, it has been decided to restore the machinery and start operations at the earliest.”

The corporation had earlier sent notices to the company to resume work, he added.

The processing plant was gutted in a major fire accident in May this, and the plant has since been non-functional. Garbage generated from the city, about 900 metric tonnes per day, is currently being collected and dumped at the trenching ground, but not being processed.

While the IMC has terminated the garbage collection contract with A2Z, a matter still being contested in court, contract for waste processing is in effect.

However, the civic body had contemplated terminating the waste processing contract after the plant was gutted in the fire and the company was unable to process 500 metric tonnes of waste as per the terms of the contract.

Agarwal said, in next 18 to 24 months, the company will set up a 500-metric tonne waste-to-energy conversion plant in Indore. The processing unit will be established at an estimated expenditure of Rs 160-170 crore.