Biomining waste: NMC pays more as compared to other cities
In the work awarded to Jigma at the rate of about Rs 1,015 per metric tonne in the year 2018-19, NMC had also suffered a financial loss of about Rs 23 crore.
Nagpur: Despite becoming aware of the low rates set by government agencies in other cities, Cash-strapped NMC (Nagpur Municipal Corporation) awarded Zigma Global Environment Solutions Pvt Ltd a contract for biomining of about one million metric tonnes of waste at a high rate. Moreover, the civic body was not aware of the fact that Jigma itself is working in other cities at much lower rates.
In the work awarded to Jigma at the rate of about Rs 1,015 per metric tonne in the year 2018-19, Nagpur Municipal Corporation had also suffered a financial loss of about Rs 23 crore. And the total cost comes to Rs 101.5 crore.
NSSCDCL (Nagpur Smart and Sustainable City Development Corporation Limited), the special purpose vehicle of Nagpur Municipal Corporation to develop the smart city project, had also floated a tender for biomining of about 6 lakh metric tonnes of waste at the Bhandewadi dumping yard. And Zigma also got a contract a few months back for about Rs 788 per metric tonne.
MLC and BJP city president whose name is Pravin Datke. He had raised the same issue in the general meeting of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation, and after which Mayor Dayashankar Tiwari sought an answer from the administration in the next meeting.
In a note placed before the committee by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation Pench Project Cell, it has been mentioned that the 3-member committee collected the rates of contracts awarded for biomining of waste by any other government agencies. According to the note, the rate is also around Rs 842 per metric tonne in Vijaywada for about 2.5 lakh metric tonne, Rs 887 per metric tonne for 3 lakh metric tonne in Vadodara. There are 2 contracts with Zigma.
Products obtained through biomining
In Tirupati, the rate is only Rs 953 per metric tonne for around 2.7 lakh metric tonne. Whereas in Ghaziabad it is around Rs 1,240 per metric ton for 5 lakh metric tonne.
According to information available from Jigma Director Nagesh Prabhu, his own company has acquired the second work in Vadodara at the rate of about Rs 842 per metric tonne.
For this city also justifying the higher rate in the first contract and the lower rate in the second, Prabhu has said that a much lower rate in the second contract is possible for the company as it already has the machinery at its site. And the management of the work will be the same, while the customers are also for the products obtained with the help of biomining.
Councilor Sanjay Mahakalkar has said that It is quite clear from the note placed before the Standing Committee that Nagpur Municipal Corporation was aware of much lower rates in other cities. And why the contract was given at a higher rate, it should also be investigated. The cost also increases significantly as the quantum goes down. Nagpur Municipal Corporation has awarded contracts for about 10 lakh metric tonne (MT) whereas in other cities the quantity is much less.
Nagpur Municipal Corporation officials have said that the detailed explanation has been submitted to the general body. He said that we have also submitted the clarification of Zigma. This company has already completed about 6 lakh metric tonnes of biomining. And we can’t comment much at all as to the matter pending with the general body.
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