OLD GOA
Villagers of Santa Cruz have laid the blame for the garbage fiasco in the village on the panchayat authorities as they said that they never showed seriousness in dealing
with the issue in a scientific manner.
Speaking to the media on Friday, the villagers led by Arturo D’Souza lambasted the panchayat for trying to blame the Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC) for stopping accepting its waste when the panchayat itself never sent segregated waste.
“The panchayat authorities never involved the garbage management committee in decisions on garbage and the earlier sarpanch ran a one-man show due to which there was never any emphasis laid on segregation of waste. Ultimately, the GWMC decided to stop accepting waste from Santa Cruz,” said D’Souza, a member of the garbage management committee.
“On one such occasion, when a truckload of mix waste was refused at Saligao plant, the earlier sarpanch buried the waste in a pit, after which I complained to the GSPCB, which in turn, asked the sarpanch to excavate the waste, segregate it and send the waste to GWMC.”
“The GSPCB then reverted the direction by stating that only biodegradable waste was dumped and that too in limited quantity.”
“So, this act of GSPCB condoning the acts of the panchayat authorities have emboldened them and they continue committing the same mistake over and over again as they are aware that they would get away with it,” D’Souza opined.
D’Souza further stated that the panchayat is fully aware of the burning of waste as their men are only doing it. “I have complained to the police with a CD of a person lighting the fire and I have appraised the police inspector that the panchayat has caused public nuisance under Sections 268, 269, 270, 290 and 291 of IPC and therefore FIR should be registered against the sarpanch,” he added.
Elsa Dias, another villager and member of the village development committee, said the way forward for Santa Cruz is to manage garbage scientifically.
“We have asked the panchayat to prepare a plan on garbage management and display the same to the public for feedback,” Dias stated.
“If authorities like BDO, GSPCB and health officer direct the panchayat to prepare the plan, then it would be a big favour on the villagers of Santa Cruz, whose health is at stake. Condoning illegal acts of the panchayat will only make matters worse,” she warned.
