CM Murad Ali Shah. PHOTO: EXPRESS
KARACHI: Sindh government directed ‘Solid Waste Management Authority’ (SWMA) to prepare a policy to generate 250 megawatts (MW) electricity from garbage. “Karachi is generating 17,000 tonnes of garbage every day from which 250MW power could be generated,” said Chief Minister (CM) Syed Murad Ali Shah while chairing a meeting at the CM House, on Monday.
Shah said that he has consulted experts, and according to them, 50MW power could be generated by feeding 3,000 tonnes of garbage every day. “We generate 17,000 tonnes of garbage and can easily install five plants, each one of 50MW to generate 250MW electricity from garbage,” he said.
He directed Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani to prepare a policy to hand over garbage to any private company for power generation and get it approved from the SWMA board. “Invite a private party for installation of a power plant at the Landfill Site at Jam Chakro,” he said. He directed Ghani to also allocate a piece of land at Jam Chakro for the power project.
The CM also asked the water board to prepare a proposal for recycling 73 millions of gallons per day (MGD) waste water for industrial purposes. “It is high time to take necessary measures for implementation of the project,” said Shah. He directed Planning and Development (P&D) Chairperson Muhammad Waseem to send the proposal to Public Private Partnership (PPP) Unit for the expeditious processing of unsolicited bid as per PPP rules.
It was proposed in the meeting to convert a reverse osmosis (RO) plant installed at Hub into a 100MGD desalination unit. Along this desalination unit, a 900MW regasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) based power plant can also be installed, the experts proposed to the CM. Shah said that he would talk to the federal government to help materialise the project. The electricity to be generated from the plant would be sold to K-Electric (KE). He also issued directives for processing the unsolicited bid process under PPP rules.
Shah was also briefed about the negotiations with Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and Clifton Cantonment Board (CBC) for the installation of a 10MGD desalination plant. A suitable piece of land was being looked for at the outskirts of CBC or DHA for the plant.
The meeting also decided to refurbish the Dhabeji Pumping Station. Shah issued directives for its bidding process under the PPP mode.
Also present at the meeting were the CM’s Information Advisor Murtaza Wahab, Principal Secretary to CM Sajid Jamal Abro, Local Government Secretary Khalid Hyder Shah, Sindh Solid Waste Management Authority Managing Director Saeed Mangnejo, Karachi Water and Sewerage Board Managing Director Khalid Shaikh and water and energy experts from the private sector.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 6th, 2018.
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