Gauncars, villagers unite against buffer zone, accuse managing committee of betrayal
TENSIONS SPILL OVER: Saligao villagers confront comunidade president Glenn Dantas after the meeting over the refusal to pass a resolution against land acquisition.
MAPUSA
A stormy extraordinary general body meeting of the Saligao comunidade on Sunday laid bare the growing rift between gauncars and their Managing Committee over the government’s demand for more comunidade land around the Solid Waste Management Facility (SWMF).
While a majority of gauncars demanded a categorical resolution rejecting the Goa Waste Management Corporation’s (GWMC) request for land to set up a buffer zone around the treatment plant, the Managing Committee refused to take that step.
Instead, it announced the formation of a “study committee” to examine the proposal – a move that villagers say is nothing but a tactic to buy time and shield the government’s agenda.
Suspicion of a
hidden plan
The GWMC has asked for additional land claiming it is needed to create a “buffer zone” under pollution control norms.
But gauncars dismissed the explanation as a smokescreen for expanding the plant’s waste treatment capacity beyond the current 250 tonnes per day (TPD).
“The stink from the plant already spreads across Saligao. If they cannot manage 250 TPD, how will they manage more? This so-called buffer zone is a backdoor plan to turn our village into Goa’s garbage hub,” said gaunkar Denzil Fernandes.
Former comunidade president Desmond Da Costa accused the Managing Committee of betraying the gauncars’ mandate.
“We demanded a resolution outrightly rejecting the request for more land. But the committee ducked it. Their refusal shows a hidden agenda,” Da Costa said.
Villagers push back
Outside the comunidade premises, villagers from Ward 8 of Saligao panchayat, where part of the plant is located, staged their own protest.
Panchayat member Umesh Malik (Balu) questioned comunidade president Glenn Dantas directly on why the Managing Committee ignored the majority view to take resolution.
For gauncars like Evaristo Fernandes, the answer is clear.
“The Managing Committee looks like it is siding with the government. If not, it would have passed the resolution as we demanded,” he said.
Interestingly, the GWMC’s request for additional land has been directed only at the Saligao comunidade, while the neighbouring Calangute and Candolim communidades – which account for a larger share of the treatment plant’s footprint – have not been approached.
The bigger picture
The clash is the latest flashpoint in Saligao’s uneasy tryst with Goa’s waste burden. The SWMF, commissioned as a state-of-the-art solution, has since been dogged by complaints of foul odour and environmental damage.
Now, with suspicions of an expansion, gauncars and villagers fear their comunidade lands are being quietly absorbed into a project that serves the State at the cost of their village.
“The committee has postponed the fight, but not ended it,” said Da Costa. “The community’s voice was clear: no more land to GWMC. Anything less is betrayal,” he added.
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BOX
Saligao comunidade chief rules
out giving land for buffer zone
MAPUSA: Saligao comunidade president Glenn Dantas clarified that while no resolution was passed at Sunday’s extraordinary general body meeting, the Managing Committee has decided not to part with any land for the buffer zone sought by the Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC).
“We will be asking the GWMC for a detailed report on their proposal. We also want to know whether Calangute and Candolim comunidades, which cover larger portions of the plant, have been approached for land,” Dantas said.
He added that a committee would later be formed to study the report and place its findings before the general body.
“At present, there are no plans to give anything to the government,” he affirmed, reiterating the comunidade’s stand.
