the goan I network
MARGAO
Davorlim village witnessed an uproar on Saturday noon as local villagers vehemently objected to the panchayat’s plan to install a composting machine in a structure adjoining the panchayat ghar premises fearing pollution.
While the panchayat body led by Sarpanch Sahar Sheikh insisted on installing the composting machine in the structure, the villagers opposed the move tooth and nail.
Appeal made by the Sarpanch that the machine will not result in pollution had no takers as the villagers, including a large number of women, physically blocked the installation of the machine in the panchayat premises.
The Goa police mobilized a huge force to deal with any untoward incident at the site by bringing in additional reinforcements from the Margao police sub-division.
DySP Kiral Padwal, PIs Tushar Lotlikar, Salim Sheikh and Pravin Kumar Vast were all deployed at the spot.
Efforts by the Executive Magistrate, Margao, to bring about an amicable solution came to a naught as the villagers insisted that the panchayat shift the machine to another place.
It was only after former MLA Avertano Furtado came at the site that the panchayat agreed to shift the machine to another place.
Furtado impressed upon the Sarpanch and other panchayat members the futility of installing the machine against the wishes of the people.
When Furtado sought to know why the panchayat is not installing the machine in survey No 16/1, the Sarpanch replied saying the government has turned down the request on grounds that the land has been acquired for an education hub.
The villagers demanded to know from the Sarpanch and the police why the panchayat had drawn up plans to install the machine without discussing the issue at the gram sabha. The Sarpanch replied saying the panchayat is in receipt of the NGT directions to initiate measures to deal with the garbage issue.
She informed the villagers that the panchayat has not paid the amount of the machine till date and pleaded with the people to at least allow to store the machine in the premises, promising that it will not be commissioned without their nod. The villagers, however, remained adamant. Villagers led by Andrew Rebello, however, argued that the garbage composing machine cannot come up in close proximity to a balwadi school, health centre, post office, government high school and the residential area.
The Sarpanch told the media that the composting machine (300-kg capacity) was procured by the panchayat to resolve the wet waste problem facing the village.
“The machine can treat 300 kgs of waste per day. It has 2000-kg storage facility,” she said, adding that the panchayat had proposed to install the machine in the panchayat premises for want of any alternate space.
