To be or not to be! Bainguinim dilemma

The government’s proposal to set up a garbage treatment plant at Bainguinim in Tiswadi taluka is at the door steps of taking off despite the opposition from the local panchayat, residents and the church.

The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) along with the Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC), the nodal agency, which will setup the plant for the government held a public hearing on July 28 at the Old Goa Panchayat under the chairpersonship of North Goa Collector R Menaka.

The proposal dates back to 2007 but the site was officially earmarked for the project after the Department of Municipal Administration in 2009 acquired the 1.7 lakh sq metres of land at a total cost of Rs 4.10 crores for the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP).

The proposal immediately met with protests from Old Goa Villagers Action Committee (OGVAC) who despite the clearance from the High Court continued to thwart the efforts of the CCP to setup the plant. 

In February 2014, the Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee (CSMC) approved the project under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) and in May 2014 the CCP handed over the project for execution to Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC). Subsequently in August 2017, the State cabinet approved to transfer the land acquired by the CCP to the GWMC. 

However, in the backdrop of the opposition posed by the locals, Panjim MLA Babush Monserrate questioned the residents regarding the garbage treatment of their village. “Everyone should have their own treatment in the villages and towns if people are going to debate over my garbage and your garbage. As far as Panjim is concerned the villagers from all the neighbouring constituencies as well dump their garbage in the capital”, he stated.

Taking exception to Cumbharjua MLA Pandurang Madkaikar’s opposition to the project he said “Regarding Madkaikar’s opposition, he should have opposed when the land was being acquired for the project more than 10 years ago and he was an MLA even then and he was well aware that the plant would come up at the site. The Chief Minister has to take a stand and what is needed is needed.”

Madkaikar recently during a protest march held in Old Goa had sated, “I have been opposing the proposed plant since it was first conceived and I was then in the Congress who had proposed the plant. Despite it being my Government I opposed it and even our panchayat passed a resolution against it. When the matter reached the court, I stood by the villagers and opposed. Despite my opposition, the Congress government kept moving the file. I will stand by my villagers in opposing the plant.”

Hundreds of villagers under the banner of Pornem Goemcho Nagrik Manch (PGNM) marched in Old Goa around the village. Madkaikar who has been ailing for more than a year now and has been out of active social life, reached out to support the agitating villagers against the garbage treatment plant proposed at Bainguinim.

The PGNM has reiterated its demand that the proposed garbage treatment plant at Bainguinim be relocated and have alleged that the site earmarked does not meet the norms laid down by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). 

The contention of the PGNM is that while CPCB regulations mandate a buffer zone of 200 – 500 metres which the proposed site does not maintain. “The amended guidelines of the CPCB state that, 200 – 500 metres of land from the boundaries of a processing unit, be excluded from setting up the facilities. It is mandatory that land outside the project site be maintained as a no development zone for 30 years,” PGNM president Ambar Amonkar stated. 

Their other contention is that Kadamba plateau being an elevated area, leachate from the landfill would contaminate ground water.

What the Church has to say

The Church on the other hand has reiterated its objection to the garbage treatment plant at Bainguinim. The Church was among the earliest voices to raise objections to the proposed plant stating it would largely affect the heritage site housing religious structures and natural water bodies. Right from the year 2008, the Church in Goa, through its Council for Social Justice and Peace (CSJP), along with other concerned organisations and citizens, has been raising these objections.

In a statement the Church has said, “The Church had stated that year itself, that the land being acquired was a historical site. On the southern side of the proposed land, there is an ancient historical laterite stone fort wall and an exquisite arch belonging to the Kadamba Kingdom. The proposed landfill and waste management site is just 500 metres away from the historical Shiva Temple of Bramhapuri, 700 metres from ‘Khuris Milagr’ (Church of the Miraculous Cross) and just 1.5 kms from the Church Complex at Old Goa. Besides, an International Educational Institute, the ‘Sunshine School’ and the Mutt of ‘Shri Sadguru Narendra Maharaj Saunsthan’ are just 200 metres away from the proposed landfill site.”

The church has further stated, “The Church understands the importance of having a garbage treatment plant, but for it to be set up in such a close vicinity to a holy and significant place, having also a world heritage site status, is just unacceptable. With the stink around, will the atmosphere be conducive for worshippers of two religious traditions to pray? And for young students to genuinely profit from the educational facilities being offered to them? It is important to note that there is a Central Notification from the Ministry of Environment and Forests, New Delhi, dated September 25, 2000, which categorically states that “landfill site shall be away from habitation clusters, forest areas, water bodies, airports including airbase, monuments, national parks, wetlands and places of important cultural, historical or religious interest.”

The Church has also pointed out that thousands of tourists and pilgrims visit the historical monuments every day and having a waste management site in close proximity will certainly cause nuisance to them and create a bad image for the State. “Thus we hold to our stand that a garbage treatment plant at Bainguinim, Old Goa, cannot be accepted by any right-minded Goan,” it stated.

The topping to the opposition is the Gramsabha of Old Goa which unanimously passed a resolution to oppose the proposed garbage treatment plant at Bainguinim and also resolved to approach the High Court against the Government’s proposal.

After the government has maintained its stand that the proposed garbage treatment plant will be setup, the Old Goa Panchayat and the PGNM have decided to approach the High Court against the government’s plans.

However, CCP Mayor Uday Madkaikar sees the panchayat’s approach as futile and stated that the High Court has cleared the project and quashed many objections raised earlier. “These are the same objections with which they have been approaching the High Court earlier also and the Court has cleared the project and quashed their demands. We have submitted to the Court that the plant will treat waste scientifically and all the apprehensions mentioned will be taken care of and there will not be any hurdle in running the plant with the latest technology”, he stated

High Court directions 

Madkaikar further said that the High Court has ordered directions over the technology used for the plant and therefore the people of the area should be rest assured that there cannot be contempt of court orders. “Once the plant starts functioning and if anybody still feels we are not doing a proper job then they can approach the court, but now they will only delay the process of setting up the plant”, he added.

When pointed out that there are residential complexes in close proximity, he informed that when the land was purchased for the purpose of the plant there were no residential complexes around the site. “In 2009 there was not a single complex around the site; all the complexes have come up after the proposal was made. People should have been aware about this. They should have then taken a decision whether they want to live in the vicinity of the garbage treatment plant or not”, Madkaikar concluded.