A local Orlando Gomes arguing with St Estevam Sarpanch Smita Sawant over the panchayat move to expand the MRF shed near the panchayat. Captured by : Manuel Vaz
OLD GOA
Residents of St Estevam forced the sarpanch Smita Sawant to assure that the work on the Material Recovery Facility (MRF) near the panchayat would be stopped.
A large number of locals gathered at the panchayat on Tuesday for the second day in a row as they demanded that the MRF should not be built in a residential area.
Earlier, the locals had gathered on Monday but they could not meet the panchayat authorities due to their absence.
On Tuesday, when the fortnightly meeting of the panchayat was underway the locals demanded that their issue be resolved first.
As there were signs of the locals getting aggressive, Sawant came outside to hear the grievances of the locals after adjourning the fortnightly meeting.
The locals then demanded that the panchayat immediately halt the work on construction of the MRF shed, failing which they threatened further action.
The plea of the sarpanch that they are only rebuilding the existing MRF shed did not go down well with the locals as they categorically stated that they won’t allow that to happen.
“We had objected to the MRF shed at the recent Gram Sabha as it is located in a residential locality. The panchayat should continue segregation of waste as before and not undertake any expansion,” Orlando Gomes informed.
The locals also expressed fears that the area would raise a stink once it is expanded. “We do not have any trust in the assurances that there won’t be any pollution in the area,” another local said.
As the locals were unrelenting in their demand, the sarpanch assured that the MRF shed would not be built.
“If the locals do not want the MRF shed to be expanded then the panchayat will not go against their wishes,” she assured, but said the villagers should help the panchayat in finding an alternative site for setting up of MRF.
Later speaking to The Goan, the sarpanch stated that they had undertaken the exercise of rebuilding the MRF shed as the current one was being operated in a shabby and dark surroundings.
“We wanted to set up a proper MRF shed,” she added.
On his part, Deputy Sarpanch Estevam Ribeiro informed that the MRF shed was setup by the previous panchayat in 2021.
“All permissions from the Education Department, which is the owner of the property, and also other authorities like the Pollution Control Board were availed,” Ribeiro informed while stating that the current panchayat just took the proposal forward of setting up of a proper MRF shed.
“In the structure that we demolished, there were truckloads of used tube lights which were lying there for around 20 years. We are going to send the same to the GWMC in Saligao,” Ribeiro stated.
“However, if the villagers are against it, then we have no other option but to halt the work,” he said.
