The Chicalim Village Panchayat may be the second bestvillage panchayat in the State but when it comes to take care of its garbageChicalim is all at sea.
Quite often Chicalim Village Panchayat (CVP) was founddumping its garbage at an isolated spot behind the Chicalim Cottage Hospital oron Communidade land. Many times it would be burnt at an isolated place.
Twice the CVP garbage truck was intercepted illegallydumping garbage at Mormugao Municipal Council garbage treatment plant atHeadland, Sada in Mormugao.
Some time back, the CVP garbage contractor was accused ofdumping wet garbage from hotels and restaurant in the fields close to theairport runway.
The birds hovering around those fields posed a major threatto civil and military aircrafts that would be susceptible to bird hits.
“We cannot dispose our own garbage in our backyard. As perAirport Authority of India and Navy’s guidelines we cannot set up a treatmentplant within 10 km radius of flying buffer zone,” said Chicalim Dy SarpanchFrancis Nunes.
“Virtually entire CVP comes under this radius. We have notlost hope and are trying to find a solution to the problem. We have tied upwith Fr Agnel Asharm to supply wet garbage for their gas plant,” Nunes added.
CVP has sent a proposal to MMC requesting it to accommodateCVP’s one truck load of garbage on daily bases at their treatment plant. Inreturn CVP is ready to allot MMC a landfill site at an isolated place inChicalim.
CVP’s proposal was placed before the MMC ordinary council meetingon September 26.
But surprisingly MMC Chairperson, Sarika Palkar abruptlydeferred the matter before any member could speak on the issue.
“There is a High Court directive that we cannot use presentMMC plant for landfilling. The CVP proposal appears good but the council has totake final call,” said MMC Chief Officer Agnel Fernandes.
“The proposal is good. If we get a site suggested by FrancisNunes for land fill then there won’t be any garbage problem for both CVP andMMC for the next 20 years,” said Vasco MLA Carlos Almeida.
