LALITPUR: At least 18 private companies, including Global Energy, German joint venture; Panchkanya and Chaudhary Group, have been competing to establish the proposed garbage-fuelled plant in the Kathmandu Valley. In its bid to invite private companies to manage the Valley garbage, the Ministry of Local Development (MoLD) had announced the call for the Expression of Interest (EOI) some 45 days ago. The notice was published on December 16, inviting the private companies to apply within the given deadline of one and a half months. "Eighteen companies have applied till date, showing keen interest in the project," said Dr Sumitra Amatya, General Manager, Solid Waste Management and Resource Mobilisation Centre, MoLD. "International firms and joint-venture companies have also applied," she added. The government has allocated a budget for the waste management in the current fiscal. It has decided to award the contract to private parties, which through the bidding process, are to compete in setting up the garbage fuelled plant in the Kathmandu Valley. A High Level Committee on Waste Management, comprising seven members, was formed by the government in this regard on August 30, to deal with the issue. The committee's tenure has been extended by mid-April. It was to end by mid-December. "We are hopeful that we'll be successful in our mission," said Amatya, who is also the member secretary of the committee. "Only the shortlisted applicants in the EOI will be allowed to bid for the final Request for Proposal (RFP) and from them only one company will be selected," she said, adding that the finalist will be allowed to set up the refuge-fuelled plant.