Goa's first waste-to-energy plant starts at Sonsoddo in Margao

Goa's first waste-to-energy gasification plant has begun operations in Margao, marking a shift towards the "waste to wealth" model and reducing dependence on landfills.

Goa's first waste-to-energy gasification plant has begun operations at Sonsoddo in Margao, the first such effort in the state.

This initiative is part of the state government's waste management efforts wherein it has invested nearly Rs 1,000 crore across multiple projects.

The facility, with a processing capacity of 10 tonnes per day, converts dry and mixed municipal waste into energy and fly ash, which is further used to manufacture bricks, marking a shift towards the ''waste to wealth'' model and reducing dependence on landfills.

Talking to PTI Videos, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the government is undertaking extensive work to keep the coastal state clean, and has rolled out several initiatives in management of solid, industrial, hazardous and biomedical waste, along with sewage and effluent treatment projects.

''These initiatives, taken up jointly by the government and private players, have seen investments of nearly Rs 1,000 crore,'' he said.

Welcoming the commissioning of the plant, Margao Municipal Council chairperson Damodar Shirodkar told PTI that the facility has been handed over to a private operator and is functioning smoothly, with the civic body primarily monitoring its operations.

He said the plant is expected to address nearly 90 per cent of the city's dry waste problem and help eliminate garbage black spots by enabling bulk waste processing at a single location.

Shirodkar also made a pitch for replicating similar projects across all constituencies in the state to tackle the growing waste burden.

Providing technical details, Deepak Kamble, supervisor at GD Environmental Private Ltd, said the plant uses a controlled combustion process to treat both wet and dry waste, producing ash and coal residue as by-products.

He said the plant's total capacity stood at 10 tonnes per day, and the entire cycle - from dumping waste onto conveyor belts to combustion - takes around eight hours.

''The ash generated is utilised for brick manufacturing, ensuring minimal residue and promoting resource recovery,'' Kamble said, adding that similar technology is already in use in cities like Pune.

Officials said the project is expected to significantly ease pressure on landfills while contributing to cleaner urban spaces and sustainable waste management practices in the state.