Saligao says no to expansion of garbage plant to 250 TPD

In a major setback to the State government’s plans to go ahead with expansion of the Saligao Waste Management Plans, the villagers of Saligao have decided to object to the “destructive plans”.
A joint meeting held at Saligao panchayat hall and attended by Saligao MLA Jayesh Salgaocar, panchayat members and NGOs resolved to write to the Chief Minister and the Waste Management Minister Michael Lobo opposing the move.
Salgaonkar, clawing his stand said that he was against the project even when he was a cabinet minister.
“The expansion is not in favour of Saligao villagers as the existing plant itself has caused huge problems. The expansion will speed doom for the village,” he said.
He clarified that he opposed the move in the Cabinet meeting in 2019.
“I had objected to expansion of this plant and it is on record”, he said.
Ramesh Ghadi of Save Saligao said that former chief minister late Manohar Parrikar had claimed that this plant would be one of the picnic spot in Goa.
“He had said that it will be best plant in Asia. However now with the situation and the amount of stink that the plant releases, it has become difficult to even sit and eat inside our houses, kilometres away,” Ghadi said.
Ghadi stated that if this is condition now with 100 TPD what will happen if it the capacity is increased to 250?
He said the Save Saligao group has been agitating against the cruel plans of the people for a long time.
Ghadi further urged the people to unite and fight against government move.
Ashley Leni a resident of Saligao highlighted that he had recently inspected the plant site during which it was learnt that fresh garbage is dumbed at the site even when movement of garbage trucks in Saligao is stopped.
Ashley claimed that bypassing the Saligao village, the garbage trucks are coming at the plant through other village.