MARGAO
The Betalbatim village panchayat has fined a hotel for disposing garbage in the open and have set 10-day deadline on the establishment to clear the waste from the site.
A bigger question, however, is staring at the coastal village, with a host of construction proposals for hotels and residential houses lining up when the existing hotels and establishments have no mechanism in place to dispose of the waste.
Deputy Sarpanch Ilma Dias along the Panchayat secretary conducted the drive against the hotel for what they called as disposal of waste generated in the hotel in the open. The deputy Sarpanch said the hotel has dumped the waste at a site which is connected to the Creek, whose water later enter the Arabian sea.
“We have cracked the whip against the hotel after we have learnt that they have also disposed of some garbage by burning. The waste seemed to have been lying for many months now. It is not just waste disposal, but the pollution it will cause the creek water as well”, she said.
She added: “These hotels have been doing business in the village for many years now and are violating the rules of garbage disposal. The hotel was twice warned by the Panchayat. Now, we have to fine them. They have been told to clear the waste within 10 days”.
Admitting that farmers have been complaining of skin infections in the past with sewage and waste water from the establishments released in the fields, the deputy Sarpanch said that Betalbatim village is facing the problem since many projects are being proposed in the village. “We are trying to resolve the issues at hand, but there are many proposals coming up. We have recently rejected three projects, but what if the promoters go to the higher authorities”, she questioned.
