Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) has taken up a project to generate electricity from waste without any environmental and economic feasibility study. City corporation officials said the project is too complex, almost impossible to implement. The cost of power generation will be much higher as the calorific value of the country's waste is very low.
An agreement was made in 2013 with an Italian company to produce electricity from the waste of two city corporations in Dhaka. But the project could not see the light of day. Another new project has been adopted on almost the similar terms. However, no assessment has been made as to why the previous project was not implemented.
According to DNCC sources, one of the reasons for taking up the power generation project is to reduce the pressure on the landfill in Dhaka's Aminbazar. The Ministry of Local Government sought a letter of interest in the construction of a power plant from waste from DNCC area through an advertisement in a newspaper. A total of 17 companies submitted letter of interest. A list was sent to the Power Development Board (PDB). The power division of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources then selected the China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) and sent a summary to the prime minister.
Regarding the feasibility study of the project, SM Shafiqur Rahman, additional chief waste management officer, DNCC, told Prothom Alo, "The power division is responsible for the environmental and economic issues."
However, the chairman of the PDB, Belayet Hossain told Prothom Alo, "It is up to the DNCC to check the feasibility as per the rules as it is their project. PDB will not give final permission without feasibility study and environmental certification.