SAYS BUFFER ZONE HAS BEEN IGNORED, OFFICIALS NEED TO BE PUNISHED
MAPUSA
Blaming the TCP officials for allowing high-rise constructions to come up near the proposed Bainguinim waste treatment plant, Waste Management Minister, Anatasio (Babush) Monserrate on Wednesday said the TCP minister should look into the matter and take the officials to task.
Monserrate also said that once the project is tendered the Bainguinim waste treatment plant could be set up within a year’s time.
“In the Regional Plan 2011 around 500 mts of the area around the Bainguinim waste treatment plant was earmarked as buffer zone which was reduced to 200 mts. Surprisingly, the TCP officials allowed buildings to come up very close to the site. The TCP minister should find out and take the department officials to task,” Monserrate said.
The Waste Management Minister was responding to queries on the opposition to the waste treatment plant by the locals and those living in high-rise buildings in the area.
Monserrate disclosed that in 2020 the chief town planner (CTP) wrote a letter stating that 500 mts has been earmarked as a buffer zone around the proposed Bainguinim plant.
He further said that the same CTP wrote another letter stating in 2021 that the buffer zone around the plant is 200 mts.
“Two letters on the same issue reducing the buffer zone written by the same CTP. Moving the goal post from 500 mts to 200 mts,” he averred.
According to the Waste Management Minister, when it was decided on the 200 mts buffer zone no technical clearance can be given within the radius of the 200 mts buffer zone.
However, he said the ground reality was different as constructions have come up very close to the compound wall of the waste treatment plant.
“I don’t know if the town planners go to the site or not. Either the department does not have a tape…It looks like they don’t even have a ruler… Look here (showing a map)…There is not even a meter's gap between the construction and our compound wall,” Monserrate maintained.
The minister informed that the department has received all the clearances to set up the waste treatment plant and the government will go ahead with the project.
“The garbage treatment plant is the need of the hour. Once tendered the plant can come up within a year’s time,” he said.
