TEAM HERALD
CALANGUTE: Welcoming Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s Independence Day pledge to crackdown on dance bars in the State, the Calangute Panchayat and Calangute MLA Michael Lobo have criticized those opposing the North Goa Coastal garbage treatment plant atop the Calangute-Saligao plateau.
Addressing a joint press conference here on Thursday, Lobo said Parrikar’s statements indicate his desire to stop illegal activities, including drugs and prostitution, along the coastal belt of Calangute.
“Dance bars in Calangute and Candolim were being operated illegally with the blessings of high level politicians and they were stopped by Calangute Police once the BJP government came to power. The crackdown on bars and pubs carrying out illegal activities had its desired effect in Calangute and Candolim, but a recent court judgement could give them a lease of life. A few dance bars have resumed their illegal activities and we need to stop them with the help of the police,” Lobo said.
Calangute Sarpanch Geeta Parab stated that the panchayat has given permissions for restaurants and some are being misused by the licence holder. “It is the duty of authorities to keep a close watch on activities under the guise of a restaurant,” said Parab.
Commenting on criticism to the North Goa Coastal garbage treatment plant at the Calangute-Saligao plateau, Lobo claimed that “vested interests” were misleading the people of Saligao for no valid reason.
“Villagers along coastal belt are badly in need of a Garbage Treatment Plant. The Rs 100 crore project is being set up on 93,978 sq mtrs of land in Calangute (64,800 sq mtrs) and Saligao (29,178 sq mtrs).
“Some villagers of Saligao are claiming that the garbage dump would be like the one at Sonsoddo in Margao, which has been an environmental hazard in the area. If we keep opposing garbage treatment plants, where will we dump the garbage generated from hotels, restaurants, and shacks in Calangute and surrounding villages,” asked Lobo.
He assured that there would be no spillage or leakages of leachates at the proposed garbage treatment plant. “Everything will be handled properly by trucks and the plant will be a state-of art-project far away from residential areas,” he added.
Panch Joseph Sequeira also questioned the motive of those opposing the Garbage Treatment Plant and claimed that if the plant is not set up today, it will never happen in future.
Deputy Sarpanch Savio Gonsalves, Panchas Paulo D’Souza and Pascoala Fernandes were among those present at the press conference.
