MARGAO
Just a couple of months ago, the Rumdamol panchayat earned kudos for its initiative in setting up a material recovery facility (MRF) to handle the village waste.
Reason? The Housing Board area had been grappling with the waste for a long time for want of a facility worth its name to treat the trash.
It has been months now since the MRF was commissioned by the local body, which falls in the weaker panchayat category, but it is now grappling with another issue of sorts “ how to clear the electricity bill, which has accumulated to almost Rs five lakh towards the consumption of power to run the MRF.
The panchayat has not stopped baling at the MRF, but somewhere down the line, the local body has begun feeling the pinch since the bill has been mounting by the day and it is grappling with funds to make the payments.
The panchayat had raised the issue with the minister at the people’s doorsteps, Govind Gaude, only to receive a suggestion to make a representation to the Power Minister to waive the dues.
Given the situation, the panchayat headed by Mubina Bi Faniband has now decided to send a letter to the Power Minister with a plea to waive the bill amounting to Rs 3,97,343.
The panchayat’s stand is simple. Since Rumdamol is a financially weaker panchayat, it cannot afford to pay huge power bills to run the MRF.
Even as the panchayat was bracing up to send the letter, the body received the latest bill, wherein the power dues have shot up to almost Rs five lakh, Rs 4.97 lakh to be precise.
Says panch Saimulla Faniband: “Our MRF has given us encouraging results in handling the village waste. But, the problem of electricity has come to haunt since Rumdamol is a financially weaker panchayat. Hope a solution is found to the issue of electricity bills.”
Raia residents allege p'yat not treating trash for want of MRF
MARGAO:
The material recovery facility (MRF) came to haunt the Raia panchayat on Wednesday after a group of residents alleged that the local body is not treating the trash for want of an MRF, but has been stacking the waste at the shed.
Raia sarpanch Judas Quadros, however, said the panchayat has set in motion the process to install a baling machine, saying it has applied for a power connection.
Secretary Akshata Zore pointed out that the panchayat has not filed any affidavit in court stating that the waste is being treated at the MRF and that the local body has ordered a baling machine.
The MRF issue came to the fore after residents led by BJP ST leader Anthony Barbosa descended on the shed to point out that there is no baling machine installed contrary to the view that the Raia panchayat has set up an MRF. He demanded the panchayat lay bare the affidavit filed in the court on the MRF, saying waste has piled up at the entrance to the shed.
When the media questioned the panchayat secretary on the residents' allegations, she said the waste was being collected by a contractor before the expiry of the contract. Zore, however, hastened to add that the panchayat has not stopped collecting the dry waste from the households, pointing out that it has carried out the work departmentally and stacked the waste in the shed. “The waste will be disposed of by a contractor,” she added.
Denying the allegations of a false affidavit in the court stating the panchayat has set up an MRF, the secretary said the local body has already placed an order for a baling machine, which would arrive any moment.
Sarpanch said the panchayat would install the baling machine no sooner it is delivered and the power department releases the connection.
Under HC scanner, Colva, Rachol VPs say steps initiated to set up MRF
THE GOAN NETWORK
MARGAO
With the Colva and Rachol panchayats under the High Court scanner over the material recovery facility (MRF), both the tourist villages said they have initiated measures to set up the facility.
Colva secretary Amol Tilve informed that the panchayat has ordered a baling machine and identified a place to set up an MRF. He said there’s no stop to the dry waste collection, adding that the MRF will go operational after the delivery of the baling machine.
Rachol sarpanch Joseph Vaz informed that the panchayat has set in motion the process to set up the MRF to handle the dry waste. Vaz has exuded confidence that the facility will soon become a reality.
