WAKE UP SALIGAO, PILERNE; WAKE UP SAIPEM, CANDOLIM YOUR LOCALITY IS BECOMING A DUMPYARDWaste from Panaji, Margao and now Ponda is also making its way to the Saligao plant
MLA Kedar Naik says his constituency will not accept waste from other areas; Calangute MLA Lobo also obbjects
Goemkapronn desk
SALIGAO: It’s been over a month now that the Saligao Waste Treatment Plant is getting additional waste from not just from the entire North Goa but also far-reaching areas like Sonsodo in Margao and so also Ponda Municipality.
The development has come after the Goa government gave an assurance in the High Court that 30 Metric Tonnes of garbage from Margao Municipality would be handled additionally by Saligao Waste Treatment Plant.
Interestingly, only three years after the capacity of the Saligao plant was enhanced to 200 tonnes per day, which was opposed by Saligaokars.
However, this was done to accommodate the waste from Northern coastal areas and peripheral areas.
Shockingly, now the waste from far-reaching areas like Sonsodo (30 tonnes) and Ponda (5 tonnes) is making its way to the plant.
Worst still the plant operators say it is unable to handle the waste.
“The maximum capacity is 200 tonnes per day. Now the waste coming in is over 240 tonnes. How will the plant manage this?” said the source requesting anonymity.
Saligao MLA Kedar Naik has strongly objected to the development saying he would not allow his constituency to become a dumpyard.
“The plant was only for coastal areas now the waste is coming from Panaji, Sonsodo and now Ponda. There is a plant close to Sonsodo, where they can treat garbage,” said Naik.
He said his people will not allow waste to be transported through Saligao.
“We will oppose this,” he said.
Calangute MLA Michael Lobo said that he has heard about the development and has taken up the issue with the CM and the minister.
“The plant is already overworking its capacity of 200 tonnes of wet waste daily from North Goa as waste from Panaji also comes to Saligao,” he said.
He said the government must come up with new plants as people around Saligao are facing problems.
“The people of Saipem, Candolim, Saligao and Pilerne have complained of foul smell every evening. I have also raised the issue in the Assembly,” he said.
Architect and Congress spokesperson Tulio de Sousa said Saligao’s worst fears are coming true now.
“As predicted by many and repeatedly said by us in the past, the Saligao garbage treatment plant will eventually treat garbage from North Goa to South Goa,” he said.
He added, “This present BJP government is accomplishing this mission of making Saligao the Garbage Capital of the state. Our worst fears coming true!”
Architect Dean D’Cruz, a resident of Saligao, said that the enhancing capacity could be a nightmare for the village, which is already facing the brunt of a foul stench every evening.
“The plant is already a failure. About 5-10 trucks are leaving the plant with unprocessed RDF for processing in Karnataka cement factories,” he explained.
D’Cruz stated that the plant, despite being replaced as it could not take mixed waste, cannot handle the waste coming in.
“All that it is doing is taking waste and sending it elsewhere; we do not know where,” he said.
Dean said heaps of unprocessed waste inside the plant compound for the last 10 years, which they call RDF.
“The court has ordered them to process that waste as it causes a foul smell every evening. Now, what would they do with the additional load if they cannot handle the current load?” he questioned.
Saligao Sarpanch Lucas Remedious said the entire panchayat is united on the issue.
“We will strongly oppose any move by the government to increase the capacity at the Saligao plant. The villagers are already facing problems; there is a stench, and people have health issues,” he sai…
