CANACONA
Growing opposition to the setting up of a village garbage management project has put the Shristhal panchayat in a soup.
According to sources, residents of Asali and Shristhal (around Shri Mallikarjun temple) have submitted a memorandum to the village Sarpanch opposing and demanding to scrap the ongoing garbage management project in the area.
Stating that the garbage will give a stenchy smell around the locality, the residents, besides, demanding to stop the ongoing works, have asked the panchayat to shift the garbage management project elsewhere.
According to panchayat sources, acting on the court directives, Shristhal panchayat finalized the garbage site between Shristhal and Asali areas in 2000 sq metres of private land belonging to one, Kusta Gaonkar. The garbage plant site was approved and after allotment of Rs 20 lakh funds, the work has been started and going on after the court granted 3 months to complete the project.
Incidentally, Shri Mallikarjun Devalaya Committee as well as some Mahajans are also opposed to the garbage plant project, informed sources.
When contacted, a former sarpanch of Shristhal Devendra Naik in whose tenure the land was finalized informed that people's opposition is unwarranted as the garbage plant site will be used only for dry waste and no wet waste would be carried to the site.
Shri Mallikarjun Devalaya president Rajendra Dessai informed that the Devalaya is not opposing the garbage management project, but the Mahajans and the nearby residents have concerns about its location.
"If the garbage management project site is located across the temple, there is only one road which goes to Asali and garbage vehicles will have to pass via this temple road itself. It can be relocated elsewhere to avoid residents’ concerns".
Sarpanch Pandurang (Datta) Gaonkar informed on receipt of the memorandum from the residents, "I had convened a meeting and explained to them the conviction panchayat has to the court to complete the project, which is already delayed. I also explained to them there won't be any stench or bad odour of garbage as the transported waste will only be dry. I also tried to explain to them that the difficulties to find alternate land, as people of these areas will come with an objection."
"In my opinion, this place is not suitable to dump wet garbage, and for wet waste, we may need to look for alternate land. However, we need to act as per the court directive and we have no option other than to complete the project which is already on its way to completion," the sarpanch stated.
