OLD GOA
Locals of Dhauji-Old Goa have sought shifting of the Material Recovery Facility (MRF) from their locality as they said that the same is not maintained properly.
Taking up the issue at the Se Old Goa gram sabha, on Sunday, a local Kiran Naik informed that garbage from the entire village is just dumped at the MRF which poses health threat to the locals.
“Just because we are keeping quiet the panchayat should not take us for granted and see to it that the MRF is shifted elsewhere. If not, the panchayat has to see to it that the garbage is handled properly and not just dumped,” Naik stated.
In reply, the panchayat authorities informed that the MRF has been set up on a temporary basis due to the High Court order directing all panchayats to setup MRF.
“We are in the process of identifying a separate site for setting up the MRF, for which we have reserved the Rs 50 lakh government fund to buy land the same,” the panchayat authorities informed and urged the locals to identify a suitable land.
Meanwhile, the issue of parking outside the church of Basilica of Bom Jesus was also discussed with the locals urging the panchayat to ensure that the violators are fined.
The locals then urged the panchayat to approach the Old Goa police and the traffic police to fine the violators who are parking their vehicles on the main road between the Bom Jesus and Se Cathedral churches.
The residents also voiced their opposition to the government notifying the Bainguinim area as waste management area and taking away the powers of the panchayat vis-Ã -vis issuing of licences and collecting taxes.
Also, the residents said that the government should seek fresh EIA for the project as it has now said that 100 tonnes solid waste would be treated at the proposed plant.
“When the public hearing for EIA for the proposed Bainguinim plant was held, it was informed that 250 tonnes of waste would be treated. Now that the same has been changed to 100 tonnes, there needs to be a separate EIA process,” Arwindkumar Saran stated.
The locals also voiced opposition to the draft jetty policy, stating that Old Goa does not need more jetties when there is already one existing.
The issue of sand mining close to the Konkan Railway bridge was discussed with the panchayat being urged to take action in the matter.
