The Indian Express 04.12.2013
22 international firms keen to manage, treat city’s garbage
Twenty-two foreign firms have responded to an expression of interest (EoI) issued by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's solid waste management (SWM) department for developing waste-to-energy and waste-processing technologies from the city's refuse.
The EoI received 31 responses, 19 of which are joint ventures and consortia proposals and 12 are single firm proposals. Companies from Israel, Holland, Switzerland, Germany, the US, China, South Korea, Japan and the UAE participated in the EoI.
The initiative is part of the corporation's attempt to ease pressure off the city's landfills at Deonar and Mulund, which have exceeded capacity as the appointed contractors have resisted processing garbage due to problems in land-lease agreement. The proposed waste processing plants will be set up at Mumbai's various transfer stations. The city generates nearly 6,500 metric tonnes of municipal solid waste and 2,000-2,500 metric tonnes of construction waste (debris and silt) daily. A provision of Rs 100.8 crores has been made in the civic budget for this project this year; additionally some components will be funded under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
The civic body will now approach the Union finance ministry for appointing one of its empanelled transaction advisors to select eligible bids before issuing the request for proposal (RFP) for setting up the waste-processing technology on a public-private-partnership basis. "After we select these, the proposal will have to obtain environmental clearances and other permissions from the Centre. We expect to issue the RFP within three months," said Deputy Municipal Commissioner Prakash Patil.
As per the revised plan, the corporation will share the capital expenditure for setting up the plant with the company. "In our previous experience, we found that our revenue expenditure was going up considerably. We have now decided to share the capital costs," Additional Municipal Commissioner Mohan Adtani had said.
Among the international companies that have participated in the bidding process are Oil Spill Eater International, Corp (USA), which has been employed by the US Navy, Air Force and Marines, Averda International (UAE), Hitachi Zosen Innova AG (Japan), MARTIN Gmbh (Germany) and Jiangxi Jianglian International Engineering Co Ltd (China).
Three firms each from Germany, Malaysia and China have shown interest. They have entered in joint ventures and consortia with Indian companies. Two firms each from Switzerland, Singapore, and the UAE have responded to the EOI. The Jindal group, whose waste-processing technology the BMC has evinced interest in acquiring, has also participated in the EOI as Jindal ITF in a consortium with the Indian firm Hubtown and Innovative Eco-Care Pvt Ltd from Gujarat.
The current contractors UPL Environmental Engineers, who are managing the two landfills, have also participated with German firm MDSE MDH. Ramky Enviro Engineers Ltd, which was in the news for ineffective garbage collection in K-West and K-East wards, has also participated in the bid.
