TEAM HERALD
[email protected]
CALANGUTE: Mindful of opposition to the Solid Waste Management Plant at Calangute/Saligao Plateau, Calangute MLA Michael Lobo has appealed to residents of Calangute and Saligao to support the project, which would only cater to a few villages in the area and not the entire district.
Speaking to media persons, Lobo said a few persons have been trying to create confusion and misunderstanding over setting up of Solid Waste Management Plant at Calangute/Saligao plateau, for which the land acquisition process has been initiated.
“The 100 tonne plant cannot be set up in a plot admeasuring 30,000-35,000 sq mtrs. We need at least 1.35 lakh sq mtrs of land for the project. Accordingly, land admeasuring 1.38 lakh sq mtrs at Calangute and 22,000 sq mtrs at Saligao is being acquired for the purpose,” informed the MLA.
“We are acquiring the land for plant exclusively for Calangute, Saligao, Arpora-Nagoa and Parra villages and it is not for entire North Goa, as is being feared by people,” clarified Lobo.
“We have been deliberating for years over for setting up of garbage plants to tackle the garbage menace and if we object now then it won’t be reality and will be inviting trouble for ourselves. We will be losing on tourism-related business due to garbage,” he added.
“I request the Calangute and Saligao villagers to work together to set the Solid Waste Management Plant. I also urge people not to politicize the issue as it is being done in the interest of Goa,” said Lobo.
Asked why Calangute Communidade was not taken into confidence over the land acquisition and the possible fear that the large portion of acquired land could be misused especially when it becomes government land, Lobo avoided the reply but said: “The plant cannot be set up in an area of 35,000-40000 sq mtrs and at least 1.25 lakh sq mtrs of land is required for the purpose.”
“The government is in process to acquire more land for a couple of garbage treatment plants in North and South Goa and everyone should extend their co-operation as we need garbage treatment plants,” he urged.
However, the villagers of Calangute and Saligao are not opposing the setting up of Solid Waste Management Plant but the manner in which it is being pushed in a hurried manner. The villagers opined that there is no politics involved in their reservations over setting up of the plant.
