There was a tender issued by the Director General of Naval Projects, Vizag for an on-shore incinerator system. The bid called for supply of a system conforming to CPCB guidelines since the waste, among others, was also bio-medical. There were general wastes, garbage, hazardous wastes and others generated in the shipyard.

The system was to have primary and secondary chambers, a wet venturi scrubber, 30 metre stack and a PLC control panel. The challenge was not so much with making the incinerator system or the building to house the machine with waste and ash storage areas.

What was the challenge then? It was a coastal area and required pile foundations. It was a sandy soil and deep piles had to be driven. Before doing this, the soil test report had to be obtained, structural calculations made and cost and designs estimated. This took a fair amount of time.

Our bid was one among half a dozen bids submitted by manufacturers and contractors and we won the bid by the skin of our teeth!  One of the requirements of the tender was to make a fuel pipeline of 5 km length from the storage tank to the incinerator.  We suggested an alternative by pointing out the safety hazards of a 5 km long diesel pipeline. We offered, instead, to provide two tanks, one for storage and the other to be used as a day tank. This was accepted by the client.

Another problem was in being able to identify a local civil contractor capable of executing the civil work properly and in time. We found one after some evaluation and the work started.  In the case of government tenders, particularly defence departments, no advance payment is given and progress payments considered depending on the quantum of work done. This called for frequent interactions and dispute resolutions among the three of us, viz. the client, the contractor and us. Nevertheless we had to accept what the client decided and so did the contractor.

The fabrication and lining of the system, in the meanwhile, was in progress at our factory and we were ready to despatch it in line with major civil work having been completed.  While other construction work was still going on, chimney and machine foundations were ready. It was a herculean task to get committed material handling equipment and operators for erection of the equipment and chimney. Here of course the client helped us to select an operator already approved by them.

We completed the commissioning to the satisfaction of the DGNP and the dockyard.

There was another requirement in the tender which we had to meet and that was to operate and maintain the system for some time, which we did with the help of our local associate and the system was eventually handed over to the end user.