Waste corp seeks new green nod for Verna plant
Panaji: After failing to get an environmental clearance (EC) to set up an integrated solid waste management and waste-to-energy plant at Verna for two years, the Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC) decided to speed up the process and file a fresh application before the state environment impact assessment authority (SEIAA).
This plant would be the fourth plant in the state.
There were some technical issues which led to the delay in the EC, but it has now been decided to clear all the queries and approach the authority for a fresh EC, a senior official said.
The GWMC said that a waste-to-energy plant will be set up at Verna at an estimated cost of Rs 500 crore and will generate 16MW electricity and 38MW heat while processing 250 tonnes of waste per day (TPD).
The project is the first of its kind in Goa, and since the non-biodegradable waste is continuously generated, the project will sustain itself, a senior govt official said. The electricity department will procure the power, and the steam generated at the plant will be supplied to industries to be utilised in manufacturing processes, the officer said.
'The objective of the plant is to generate electricity and steam from the non-biodegradable waste by adopting environment-friendly processes, and the outcome of the project includes long-term management of non-biodegradable waste without harming the environment,' the officer said.
The non-biodegradable waste is stored in sheds in the panchayat jurisdiction, where the recyclable fraction of non-biodegradable waste is recovered and sent for recycling. The non-recyclable waste is stored in the shed and is collected by the GWMC. The corporation then bales this non-recyclable waste and sends it to various cement plants in Karnataka to be used as a fuel alternative in kilns, thus making it refuse derived fuels (RDF).
'The cost of transportation of such RDF is almost Rs 1,000 per tonne. The state is fully dependent on the Karnataka-based cement plants for the disposal of RDF,' the senior official said.
He said that if there is a direction in the near future by the Karnataka state pollution control board for the stoppage of transportation of interstate waste, it will lead to the accumulation of RDF in water bodies and thereby affect aquatic life and also the flora and fauna. 'So, in order to have our own facility in Goa, it is proposed to establish a 250 TPD waste-to-energy plant,' he said.
The plant at Verna will cater to the waste generated in Mormugao taluka and some parts of Salcete taluka. The plant will be set up on an area of 1 lakh sqm, and the environment impact study for the plant has already been done.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
43 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
A Sari State of Affairs
Aradhana Anand always loved Indian textiles. While furnishing her apartment, she experimented with mixing and matching silk saris to upholster a wingback chair. A combination of cotton ikat saris made for perfect fabric blinds. The result—limón, the Delhi-based custom-design studio for furniture and furnishings. The store a sari sight: five standard chairs—the wingchair, accent, club chair and low slipper chair upholstered mainly with saris. limón purveys sari cushion covers, sari-centric art frames, and sari lamp shades too. Each piece takes 4-10 weeks to create by using combinations of saris, sourced from state operated handloom emporiums and co-ops that support weavers, and sometimes directly from the weavers. A recent limited-edition collection called Rasa was made in collaboration with artist Shweta Malhotra that focuses on motifs of Indian spices, screen printed by hand on cotton canvas. 'We educate our clients about what they can do with fabric and saris they no longer wear,' Anand says.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Haryana: Wheat yield up by 30% in last decade: Data
The wheat yield per hectare (Ha) in the country grew from 2,750 kgs during 2014-15 rabi season to 3,587 kgs in 2024-25, which is nearly a 30% increase, the Karnal-based ICAR-Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research (IIWBR) said. Accordingly, the wheat yield stood at 3,587 Kg/Ha for this season, recording a mild increase from 3,559 kg/Ha from last year, while annual production also rose from 113.29 million tonnes (MT) in 2023-24 to 117.51 MT this season. (HT File) Wheat scientists said that yield refers to the amount of crop produced per unit of land area, typically measured in kilograms or tonnes per hectare. Yield is considered a key indicator for agricultural productivity and quality of land, reflecting how much crop is produced from a particular area, they said. Accordingly, the wheat yield stood at 3,587 Kg/Ha for this season, recording a mild increase from 3,559 kg/Ha from last year, while annual production also rose from 113.29 million tonnes (MT) in 2023-24 to 117.51 MT this season. The data was prepared according to the third estimate figures by the union ministry of agriculture and farmers welfare released last month. The ministry is likely to release fourth and final estimate by end of July or August, the scientists said. Figures shared by IIWBR, also showed that the country witnessed a 36% rise in annual production from 86.52 MT in 2014-15 to 117.51 MT in a decade's time, while also recording an increase in area under wheat from 314.6 lakh hectares to 327.6 lakh hectares during the period. During the last season, the area under wheat was 318.33 lakh hectares. Wheat production more than target As per the figures of the third estimate, the wheat production achieved this year so far (117.51 MT) is slightly above than the target of 115 MT. This is an all-time high in the history of wheat production in India. India is the world's second-largest wheat grower after China. During an interaction with Hindustan Times, IIWBR director Ratan Tiwari highlighted that the deployment of climate resilient seed varieties and assured price on crop are primary reasons behind this record. 'DBW187, DBW303, DBW222, HI1634 and HD3386 were the top breeder seed indented varieties distributed by the institute to the farmers in the country. We consider DBW187 as a mega variety or pan-India variety. Better reach for the seeds is also the reason there has been a whooping rise in wheat yield in the last one decade,' he said. 'Moreover, there is a growing awareness among the farmers about changing weather patterns and they are shifting more to new heat-tolerant varieties. I believe that despite temperature fluctuation during the early months of this year, there was no fall in productivity, because of these seed varieties. Also, no disease and crop lodging also helped in achieving this. The grain quality also appears good,' he added.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Torrent, JB Chem Finalising Steps for Two-stage Merger
Synopsis Torrent Pharmaceuticals and JB Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals are working with advisers to firm up the terms for their merger as part of a two-stage transaction, involving the former first buying out US-based private equity firm KKR's stake in JB in a cash deal, said people familiar with the development.
