If you think locals are the only ones who are opposing thegarbage treatment plant in Bainguinim, then think again.
The Goa State Pollution Control Board in a report hasinformed the High Court that the builder’s lobby that has begun construction inthe vicinity of Bainguinim and acquired land around the dumping site is keenlyopposing the garbage dumping site at Bainguinim.
The 300 page report recently submitted by Advocate General,Atmaram Nadkarni to the High Court clearly states: “The Corporation of City ofPanaji requires setting up an Integrated Solid Waste Management Facilityincluding landfill for efficient handling of Solid Waste. However in spite ofacquiring land in the year 2006 at Bainguinim and GSPCB having grantedauthorization for setting up of such a facility, the CCP has made no efforttill date to establish the treatment facility at Bainguinim. Excavation workhas completed with a foundation at Bainguinim but during the course of timelarge construction projects are underway and likely to be completed within thenext year or two, in the vicinity of the site at Bainguinim which are heavilyopposing the project.”
CCP commissioner Sanjit Rodrigues explained to The Goan thatthe facility at Bainguinim is a full-segregation plant which will be built tohandle 100 tonnes of waste on a daily basis.
The thriving real estate lobby in the area is primarilybehind the opposition to the site.
“The problem is that nobody wants a garbage dumping site intheir area. I have seen the report that blames the builder’s lobby foropposition to the site. My focus is to come up with strict rules for sorting ofwaste from home and to ban plastic use. Next my focus will be to find garbagedumping sites -- one in the North and another in the South,” said EnvironmentMinister, Alina Saldanha.
“Municipalities in Goa including the CCP only talk ofgarbage disposal sites. We first need to be clear on what’s the latest technologyused for garbage disposal and what is feasible for Goa since we produce 400metric tonnes of waste annually,” said Urban Development Minister, FrancisD’Souza.
Mr D’Souza asserted that besides Bainguinim, the entireNorth Goa will soon have another garbage disposal site. The UD Minister hasalso invited tenders under the Science and Technology department askingconsultants to demonstrate latest technology used in garbage disposal,globally.
GSPCB, Director Lavinson Martins asserted that the extensivereport is just phase one of GSPCB’s study of 13 municipal and 26 village areas.The body is currently studying remaining villages in Goa and will present astudy to the High Court by October.
