VASCO
Panchayats Minister Mauvin Godinho on Thursday said a delegation may have to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi to explain Goa’s peculiar situation regarding the Major Port Authorities (MPA) Act.
Godinho was speaking to reporters after launching the work to hot mix roads in Chicalim on Thursday in the presence of Chicalim Panchayat Sarpanch Seby Pereira, Dy Sarpanch Kamla Prasad Yadav and other panch members.
When asked what steps had been taken by the State government on the MPA Act, which gives the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) extensive powers and jurisdiction, Godinho sought to point fingers at the Congress and said the BJP government has been trying to revoke the powers of the port and hand it back to the State government.
“In fact, we may have to lead a delegation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to explain to him that Goa is a very small state where there will be no healthy functioning of democracy if we strip powers of small self-governing bodies like panchayats and municipalities,” said Godinho.
Commenting on the hot-mixing of roads in Chicalim, Godinho said the project was being taken up at an estimate of Rs 2 crore.
“We have to start roadworks only when the hot-mixing plant starts functioning and many roads are being taken up in Dabolim constituency, including New Vaddem. These works were approved before elections. Estimates are already prepared for many other roadworks and some of them are almost approved,” said Godinho.
MANAGING GARBAGE: The Panchayat Minister also said efforts were underway to tackle waste in the State.
“It was the government led by former chief minister late Manohar Parrikar who set up a huge waste management plant in Taleigao, where a good amount of garbage is being treated.”
“Similarly, work is underway for a waste management plant at Cacora to benefit panchayats in South Goa. The garbage from some panchayats which do not have their own garbage management facilities or Material Recovery Facility (MRF) will be directed to this new plant.”
Godinho said the government is also planning to sign an agreement with such panchayat bodies.
“Some panchayats like Chicalim and Sancoale have taken their own initiatives to tackle garbage issues like starting door-to-door garbage collection and setting up their own garbage treatment plants, bio-digesters or MRF shed where dry waste will be tackled separately and wet waste will be treated to generate power and gas,”
said Godinho.
“This is important because till the time the new waste management plant is set up, there have to be arrangements for panchayats to tackle their own garbage,” said Godinho.
