Waste corp ropes in pvt player to set up e-waste plant

Panaji: The Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC) has decided to rope in private players to set up an e-waste management plant in the state.

Construction of the project had begun in Dec 2022 and was expected to be completed by May 2024. Due to the lack of progress and the project being economically unviable, the GWMC had terminated the contract with the contractor.

“We are now trying to rope in private players to manage the e-waste generated in the state, and soon, we will float an expression of interest,” GWMC managing director Harish Adconkar said.

Adconkar added that there are many private companies that possess land and could be interested in setting up e-waste facilities in the state.

At the plant, waste products will be dismantled and forwarded to downstream recyclers. As per the old agreement, land was allocated to the private player, and govt was supposed to send e-waste for scientific disposal.

In some cases, the concessionaire will pay customers for e-waste such as refrigerators, and in other cases, the person who wants to dispose the e-waste will pay.

The GWMC has provided 4,000sqm of land for the plant at the Pissurlem industrial estate. The estimated cost of the project to be constructed under the public-private partnership is Rs 7 crore.