PANJIM: The State capital could be heading for a major garbage crisis as villagers of Saligao have refused to let the city’s wet garbage be treated at the Saligao garbage treatment plant.
Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) has warned that in retaliation, sewage tankers from Saligao, Calangute and neighbouring areas will not be allowed to dispose their contents at the sewage treatment plant (STP) in Panjim.
Panjim Mayor, Uday Madkaikar said that some locals allegedly stopped the CCP and Taleigao panchayat trucks from proceeding to the garbage plant atop the Saligao plateau. “I have been informed by my staff that some locals have stopped our vehicle carrying wet garbage from proceeding to the Saligao plant. On Sunday the first truck was stopped and today another truck has been stopped,” he stated.
He said that the city generates around 28 tonnes of wet garbage daily of which around 8-10 tonnes is sent to Saligao plant for treatment. “At our three sites in the city we treat around 18-20 tonnes of garbage and the remaining 8-10 tonnes is sent to the plant,” he added.
The Mayor has threatened to retaliate if their truck is stopped again from delivering we garbage at the Saligao plant. “If they do not allow then let me remind them that their sewage tankers dump their sewage in Panjim. We will not allow a single tanker to enter Panjim with their sewage,” he threatened.
He said that during the current period of low tourism daily around 60 sewage tankers from Saligao, Calangute and neighbouring areas dispose of their sewage at the STP in Panjim. He added that CCP will approach the Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant for a solution over the issue.
Responding to a question on what are the options with CCP in case of a stalemate, Madkaikar said “We have no option and there will be chaos. This is the reason why we have been time and again demanding that our garbage treatment plant at Bainguinim be constructed at the earliest.”
The Capital had faced a similar situation two months ago in April and the CCP Commissioner had then issued notices to residential complexes and hotels that the municipality shall not take responsibility to treat their garbage and they shall treat it by themselves.
The Mayor said that CCP is in the process of setting up a 10-tonne capacity bio-digestor for treating waste from hotels, however, the housing complexes will be setting up their own composting units within the premises.
