MARGAO
Cuncolim Municipal Council earned the distinction of being the first civic body to respond to the innovative concept of setting up manned waste collection centres. If Chief Officer Shankar Gaonkar is to be believed, the civic body has even earned kudos from the government at a review meeting of the Solid Waste Management Corporation.
Back home, however, the raging controversy over the move to set up the manned waste collection centres right opposite the bus stand along the NH-17 and to accept waste
from the neighbouring villages have refused to die down.
While CMC Chairperson Polita Carneiro has withdrawn her support after according initial approval for the innovative project, Cuncolim MLA Clafacio Dias has now joined the bandwagon against the setting up of the waste collection centre near the bus stand.
"I am totally opposed to the proposal to set up waste collection centre near the bus stand. The area in question might belong to Municipality, but I feel it is not the right place. They can take the waste directly to the waste treatment plant at the Cuncolim Industrial estate," Clafacio said, adding the council should deliberate on the issue and take an appropriate decision.
Chairperson Politca Carneio, who is believed to have given her nod for the collection centre near the bus stand, said she is now firmly opposed to the centres being set up at the acquired area near the bus stand. "This area has been acquired by the municipal body to set up an administrative complex. We don't want the waste nuisance at the acquired land when there are residential houses behind. The NH-17 also passes along the acquired land. We don't want the place to become an eyesore," Polita said, adding that the council should set up the collection centres away from the bus stand.
Chief Officer, Shankar Gaonkar, however, begged to differ. He said the very objective behind the collection centre will be lost if they are set up in the interior areas. "This proposal was mooted at the meeting of the Solid Waste Management Corporation meeting wherein civic bodies were told to identify the waste collection centres. Accordingly, I discussed the matter with the chairperson and only after her approval, the CMC had forwarded the proposal to the government with a land, form I & XIV of the area admeasuring 150 sq mts. Corporation officials will now come and inspect the land to ascertain its feasibility," Chief Officer Gaonkar said.
The CO said the waste collection centre will be in no way be a hindrance to the administrative complex project. "The administrative project has reached the stage of appointment of consultancy. In the meantime, the land can be used for the waste collection centres," he added.
Councilor Mario Moraes, however, said the chief officer has no authority to take the decision when the council is the only authority empowered to take a call, while saying there's no question of discussing the issue at a meeting saying the Council is not aware any proposal to set up the waste collection centres.
While CMC Chairperson Polita Carneiro has withdrawn her support after according initial approval for the innovative project, Cuncolim MLA Clafacio Dias has now joined the bandwagon against the setting up of the waste collection centre near the bus stand.
"I am totally opposed to the proposal to set up waste collection centre near the bus stand. The area in question might belong to Municipality, but I feel it is not the right place. They can take the waste directly to the waste treatment plant at the Cuncolim Industrial estate," Clafacio said, adding the council should deliberate on the issue and take an appropriate decision.
Chairperson Politca Carneio, who is believed to have given her nod for the collection centre near the bus stand, said she is now firmly opposed to the centres being set up at the acquired area near the bus stand. "This area has been acquired by the municipal body to set up an administrative complex. We don't want the waste nuisance at the acquired land when there are residential houses behind. The NH-17 also passes along the acquired land. We don't want the place to become an eyesore," Polita said, adding that the council should set up the collection centres away from the bus stand.
Chief Officer, Shankar Gaonkar, however, begged to differ. He said the very objective behind the collection centre will be lost if they are set up in the interior areas. "This proposal was mooted at the meeting of the Solid Waste Management Corporation meeting wherein civic bodies were told to identify the waste collection centres. Accordingly, I discussed the matter with the chairperson and only after her approval, the CMC had forwarded the proposal to the government with a land, form I & XIV of the area admeasuring 150 sq mts. Corporation officials will now come and inspect the land to ascertain its feasibility," Chief Officer Gaonkar said.
The CO said the waste collection centre will be in no way be a hindrance to the administrative complex project. "The administrative project has reached the stage of appointment of consultancy. In the meantime, the land can be used for the waste collection centres," he added.
Councilor Mario Moraes, however, said the chief officer has no authority to take the decision when the council is the only authority empowered to take a call, while saying there's no question of discussing the issue at a meeting saying the Council is not aware any proposal to set up the waste collection centres.
