MC to generate income from horticulture waste

Chandigarh: In a first of its kind move to generate its own income, the Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh, is all set to sell the biofuel/ briquettes, as its newly constructed Horticulture Waste Processing Plant has started producing the same. The authority has planned an open auction or bidding for the same to earn the significant amount from the selected company and an agenda in this regard is coming for the detailed discussion and approval in the monthly Finance and Contract Committee (F&CC), scheduled on Friday.
“The Horticulture Waste Processing Plant at 3 BRD, Chandigarh was inaugurated in the month of January and started processing the horticulture green waste and manufacturing of bio-fuel briquettes. Now the biofuel /briquettes are stacked at Horticulture Waste Plant which needs to be sold to nearby furnaces, industries. It is proposed that it should be sold through the open bidding auction by short listing the agency for one year. The reserve prices and other details of the bid auction is proposed. The details of the proposal for sale of biofuel, briquettes by open bid, auction is placed before the Finance and Contract Committee of the MC for consideration and its approval,” the agenda says.
The project was inaugurated by Punjab governor and Chandigarh administrator Banwarilal Purohit. Since the work for this first of its kind project was allotted for Rs 3 crore, it is situated near the 3 BRD area, located adjoining the Industrial Area. Out of Rs 3 crore, the expenditure of the machinery is around Rs 1.80 crore and remaining amount was spent on setting up sheds and exclusive electrical sub-station for the plant to run. “Through this plant, the entire generated horticulture waste is being processed, and its outcome is ready for sale. The MC can earn good amount of money from it,” an official said.