the goan I network
MARGAO
The Cuncolim Municipality was embroiled in a major controversy over the proposed move to accept waste generated by neighbouring villages by setting up waste collection centres right in the centre of the town.
While Chief Officer Shankar Gaonkar said that the proposal has been made based on the request made by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, Chairperson Polita Carneiro and other councillors said the Council has not given any approval for such a project. Councillor Mario Moraes went a step further, saying the Council is totally in the dark over the Chief Officer's proposal, demanding to know why the proposal was not discussed at the Council meeting.
When The Goan asked Chairperson Polita to shed light on the controversy, she said that the Chief Officer had discussed the matter with her, but she hastened to add that she has not given any nod for the proposal to set up waste collection centres opposite the acquired land near the bus stand nor the proposal has been discussed at the meeting. "When the Chief Officer had discussed the CM's proposal of accepting waste from the neighbouring villages with me, I had told him in clear terms that the proposal needs to be discussed at the Council. Moreover, the move to set up waste collection centres opposite the bus is not proper since it will create an eyesore in the heart of the town," she said.
Councillor Mario Moraes said the Council is not a party to the proposed decision taken by the Chief Officer, wondering how the Chief Officer can take such a major decision on behalf of the Council and without taking the elected Council into confidence.
Chief Officer Shankar Gaonkar, however, told The Goan that the proposal is still at an infancy stage, adding that he had only discussed the matter with the Municipal chairperson just because the Chief Minister had requested to explore the possibility of accepting waste from neighbouring villages which has no independent site of its own.
In the past, the Cuncolim Municipal Council had vehemently opposed accepting waste from neighbouring villages on grounds that the waste collection and disposal system of the civic body is not foolproof. In fact, many a previous Council had rejected applications received from neighbouring panchayats such as Assolna.
