MARGAO
The Colva gram sabha has decided to bring commercial establishments under the garbage tax net after standardisation, even as the sarpanch maintained that the panchayat has not taken up the wet waste collection and treatment for lack of land.
The meeting, however, has decided not to levy the garbage tax on the residents, places of worship such as temples, churches and mosques, besides educational institutions, including village schools.
At the gram sabha meeting chaired by Sarpanch Suzie Fernandes, the issue of levying garbage tax took the centrestage after the panchayat secretary read the recent government notification on imposing garbage tax on the commercial establishments.
At the outset, the sarpanch pointed out that the matter has been brought before the gram sabha for discussion and deliberations, adding that no decision has been taken by the panchayat body as yet on the quantum of garbage tax to be levied on the establishments. She also informed the gram sabha that the panchayat has decided not to levy garbage tax on the residents.
A couple of gram sabha members, including owners of guest houses, sought to know from the Chair the benefits the owners will get by taking the garbage tax. They pointed out that they have been paying the garbage tax levied by the establishment, but in return received no service from the panchayat body.
It was further pointed out that the panchayat body should standardise the hotels since the panchayat cannot expect all the hotels and establishments to generate 100 kgs of waste every day.
Another gram sabha member drew attention of the Chair that his premises does not even generate 50 kgs of waste every day, adding that his establishment should not be clubbed with hotels generating 100 kgs or more garbage per day.
On the question of waste treatment, Sarpanch Suzie pointed out that the panchayat has set up a MRF shed to treat the dry waste collected in the village. She, however, said the panchayat’s proposal to the Tourism Department to allocate a small piece of the government acquired property has received no reply till date. She said the panchayat would go for wet waste collection if suitable land is made available to the body.
Former sarpanch and panch member Menino Fernandes made a request to exempt religious places of worship from the payment of garbage tax. Sarpanch Suzie Fernandes also suggested that the village schools should be exempted from the garbage tax. Both suggestions were approved by the gram sabha.
On the hot mixing of road dug up to lay the sewerage line, the sarpanch informed that the PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral along with Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas had recently visited the village, wherein the Minister has assured to hot mix the roads before the onset of monsoons.
The sarpanch has further informed that the panchayat has made budgetary provision for the installation of CCTV surveillance cameras along the Sernabatim-Colva road and other garbage dark spots in the village.
The gram sabha also adopted a resolution to oppose the DPR granted by the Centre to Karnataka to build the Khalasa and Bhandura irrigation projects.
