Garbage-fuelled power plant in offing

12-odd private firms keen on project that may rid valley of waste woes

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
LALITPUR, August 15

More than 10 private companies have shown interest to set up an energy plant fuelled by the Kathmandu Valley’s garbage. Up to 600 metric tonnes of garbage is produced in the valley daily.
Dr Sumitra Amatya, General Manager, Solid Waste Management and Resource Mobilisation Centre under the Ministry of Local Development, told The Himalayan Times that 12-odd companies and some individuals had submitted proposals for setting up garbage-fed energy plant in the valley. She, however, added that tender for the project was yet to be floated.
The companies who have submitted their proposals are Chaudhary Group Infra (I), Chaudhary Group (II), Panchkanya Group, Triveni Byapar, Action Nepal, Environment Development Research Pvt Ltd, Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industries, Changu Garbage Power Plant, Communication O Y, Nepal Environment and Energy Management, Bhusal Urja Company Pvt Ltd, KL Dugar Pvt Ltd and a few individuals.
“All of them have demanded a clear law, exemption of taxes, formation of high-level committee, supply of at least 400 metric tonnes of garbage everyday and purchase of products and electricity by the government,” said Amatya. “The government has already decided to bring appropriate law, exempt taxes and provide land for the plant,” she added.
To set up the plant, Panchkanya Group has proposed to merge municipal staff in its company and has not demanded any land from the government. CG (I) has proposed to build the plant for Rs 4.80 billion, demanding 20 hectares of land from the government. Action Nepal has proposed to use Canadian plasma technology, Triveni has demanded 30 acres of land, and CG (II) has proposed to set the plant on 25 ropanis of government land.
The MoLD has registered a proposal with the Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers to form an empowered waste management committee to work on scientific disposal of garbage. “The next meeting of the cabinet is likely to approve the formation of committee, which will float tender,” said Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya, spokesman for the MoLD.
The amendment bill of the Waste Management Act involving the private sector in garbage disposal has already been forwarded to the Ministry of Law and Justice, said Dipendra Bahadur Oli, legal officer at the SWMRMC. “The MoLJ will forward it to the cabinet within a week. After cabinet approval the parliament will endorse it,” said Oli. “The current parliament session will pass the bill.”
Dr Amatya hopes that by mid-November, the committee will sign an agreement with the selected company to establish energy plant within two years.

This news was published in The Himalayan Times on August 16, 2009.