NCP clears proposal amid opposition from partymen

CBD BELAPUR: In the absence of the opposition which had walked out of the NMMC general body on Thursday, the NCP managed to clear a proposal for generation of electricity from garbage at Turbhe landfill site. It, however, faced opposition within its own ranks ensuring that the absence of the opposition was not felt.

One of NCP’s senior corporators and former standing committee chairman Suresh Kulkarni has vowed to oppose the Rs180 crore project.

After its plans for generation of methane gas from garbage failed, NMMC had presented the proposal for the generation of electricity from garbage. The proposal was expected to be passed smoothly as the opposition members were not present. However, with the party and alliance members themselves objecting to it, the project has become controversial.

NMMC has given a contract to a private company for treatment of garbage at the scientifically developed land site for manufacture of fertiliser and fuel pellets. However, due to lack of much demand for such fertilizer and the fuel pellet, the company is suffering losses. It has now proposed to generate electricity from garbage.

Electricity will be generated from around 600 to 1200 tonnes of garbage that is dumped every day at the landfill site. The power will then be sold to MSEDCL. It will cost the civic body Rs180 crore.

Objecting to the proposal, Congress corporator Mandakini Mhatre said, “The Rs170 crore solar project planned at Morbe dam has failed to take off for years. The power generated from garbage here will be sold to MSEDCL at Rs7.90 per unit.”

She asked, “When MSEDCL’s own cost of power is Rs 4.59 per unit and the cost of solar power is Rs7.4 per unit, why will it purchase NMMC power at a higher cost?”

Kulkarni, who has a huge influence in Turbhe area, said: “If the proposal is approved and implemented, over 2 lakh residents of Turbhe will take to the streets.”