Like several multi-crore projects in Kashmir, the Rs 120-crore waste-to-energy project at Achan dumping site has fallen victim to official apathy.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had on 12 December 2017asked the state government to set-up, within 18 months, the plant at Achan thatwould utilise biomass to generate 5 megawatts of power.
A senior Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) official saidthere has been no “forward movement” on this project even though thecorporation had allotted the contract to a consortium in January 2018.
The authorities concerned are yet to sign power the purchaseagreement (PPA) with the state government, which would have paved way forstarting construction work.
Under the public-private partnership (PPP) mode, the plantis to be designed, developed and managed by the consortium of HighlandAutomobiles Private Limited, Key Stone Energy Limited, and Astrix at a cost ofaround Rs 120 crore. The entire cost is to be borne by the bidder that willearn from generation of power once it is commissioned.
The project is proposed to end crisis of solid wastemanagement in Srinagar city, and to create a mechanism for low-cost wastemanagement.
Commissioner SMC Khurshid Ahmad Sanai said he has asked theofficials concerned about the details as he had joined recently.