Goemkarponn Desk
The Constituents of Nuvem have on Friday protested and decided to oppose the Proposed Solid Waste Management Plant at Verna.
Addressing the media on Friday evening, Everson Vales said that the recent press release from the Goa Expert Appraisal Committee (GSEAC), putting clearance for the Solid Waste Management Plant at Verna on hold, is a perfect case study of how government and its agencies operate in an ad hoc manner, showing scant respect for the law or due processes that are mandatory.
” It was interesting that the GSEAC has instructed the project proponent to conduct “new public hearings” and collect “community inputs” when no public hearing has been actually held so far, or ground truthing conducted. If it had, then it would have been clear that the plant was being set up on a huge aquifer that is the origin of various springs that feed the Ambulor lake, which is the starting point of River Sal that runs through entire South Goa upto Betul” said Vales
Social Activist Zarine Da Cunha said that It would also have been noticed that the plant was being set up a mere 350 metres from human habitation and nestling close to a number of pharma industries.
” It is also strange that the GSEAC has not questioned the cut and paste project report brazenly submitted by the proponents giving totally false, misleading and inaccurate information despite Constituents of Nuvem Constituency bringing it to their notice. For instance, the distance between the Mahalsa temple has been recorded as 10.7 kms, whereas the actual distance in reality is 2.2 kms from the site. There is also a chapel standing 239 metres from the site of the proposed plant. Does the Government of Goa believe that venerated religious structures deserve to co-exist cheek by jowl to a garbage plant?” said Da Cunha
Social Activist Arvind Menezes said that besides submitting documents with false information, the GWMC has clearly shown through the mismanagement of the Saligao waste management plant that it is totally incapable of doing its job in managing the project without creating nuisance and dangerous health and environment
“Hence under no circumstances can it be permitted to replicate this disaster on the ecologically fragile and environmentally rich Verna plateau.It is a fact that like the Goa Waste Management Corporation, all the concerned government agencies have shown their incapability/unwillingness and total unresponsiveness to public complaints. Their failure to perform their respective duties is utterly shameful and distressing. In this regard, special mention needs to be made of GIDC which has distinguished itself through its chaotic mismanagement of the Verna Industrial Estate. The Goa State Pollution Control Board wins close second place thanks to its total abdication of duty in monitoring the pollution levels of factories in the Verna Industrial Estate.In the light of the government’s inability/unwillingness to abide by the laws and due processes, put in for a definite purpose, Constituents of Nuvem Constituency will under no circumstances permit this contentious project detrimental to the health and wellbeing of the ecology of the villages and their people to be foisted in their midst.” said Menezes
