Despite two years of relentless discussion, power department could not sign a memorandum of understanding for producing power from waste.
A report on the matter highlights the impasse, says a power department official. A taskforce with an additional secretary as head has been formed to investigate the matter.
The task force will submit a report within the next 15 days on how the project should be taken, confirmed MD of Power Cell, Mohammad Hossain.
We have been trying for a long time but without success, and that’s why a task force has been formed, he added.
Efforts have been underway for five years to produce power from waste but since the City Corporation is unwilling to give waste for free, the trouble has begun.
A source from the power department says that one unit of waste costs over Tk 25 whereas Power Development Board (PDB) sells one unit for an average of Tk 5 or 6.
So, in this arrangement, for selling each unit of power, PDB will face a loss of Tk 20.
That’s why PDB does not want to spend money to buy waste.
Reportedly, on Oct 17 last, a meeting presided over by the state minister for power was attended by local government senior secretary, power secretary and other city corporation high officials and even after a directive given at that meeting, the issue is hanging.
At a meeting held on Nov 11, 2016 and attended by all city corporation mayors, a decision was taken to form a company in this regard, which has not seen the light of day as yet.
The proposed MoU has not been signed as yet either.