Opposition to Bainguinim waste plant hots up

Villagers to stage rally to CM’s office 

TEAM HERALD

bureau@herald-goa.com

OLD GOA: Old Goa panchayat members and villagers on Sunday decided to stage a rally to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s office in protest against setting up of an ultra modern mix garbage treatment plant at Bainguinim.

While most of the villagers were present for the meeting, three panchas remained absent. The villagers sought to know why the concerned panchas did not attend the meeting.

The villagers also decided to ask the Old Goa panch members to again take up the resolution to oppose setting up of garbage treatment plant and sent the resolution to the concerned authorities.

The villagers asked all the nine panchas to visit house-to-house in their respective wards for signature campaign supporting to oppose the garbage treatment plant and sent it to the State government.

The villagers also decided to form a human chain along the Old Goa Kadamba by-pass road connecting the Bainguinim garbage site.

Speaking at the meeting, Cumbarjua MLA Pandurang Madkaikar said: “It’s sad to note that the present BJP-led government is doing what Goans don’t want, like the Mopa airport, garbage treatment plant at Bainguinim.”

“But we should all be united and oppose the proposed garbage treatment plant at any cost,” stated Madkaikar.

A local resident, Anil Afonso, said though number of resolutions has been taken by the panchayat opposing the proposed garbage treatment plant, the State government still went ahead with it.

Another resident, Fr Visitasao Monteiro said: “When the chief minister himself says that the local panchayats are supreme, then I feel that the chief minister should obey the decision of the Old Goa Panchayat, which has objected to the setting up of garbage treatment plant.”

Meanwhile, Old Goa Sarpanch Vishal Volvoikar said the issue of panchayat denying NOC to CCP to construct compound wall has reached the District Court and it will come up for hearing in the first week of June.