TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The government has issued notifications for acquiring land for setting up garbage treatment plant at Saligao-Calangute plateau and similar facility for South Goa at Cacora in Quepem taluka.
Notwithstanding local opposition, State government is going ahead with the land acquisition to set up garbage treatment plant at Saligao-Calangute plateau.
In a notification issued on Tuesday, State government has directed district administration (North) to begin the land acquisition for setting up the plant in Calangute and Saligao as the land is needed for public purpose. Directions have been issued under section 7 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894.
Government on November 27, 2013 published Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act to acquire 1.38 lakh sq m of land in survey 47/1 belonging to the Calangute comunidade and also additional land of 29,995 sq m of land belonging to the Saligao comunidade for access and buffer zone.
The plant is projected to take care of the entire garbage from North Goa with its 100 tones per day capacity.
The Saligao villagers under the banner ‘Saligao Garbage struggle’ are against setting up of plant at the proposed survey number and have threatened to approach High Court if the proposed garbage treatment plant is not shifted 700m west, from survey no. 47/1 to survey no. 29/1.
In their series of demands, the villagers have said that if the plant capacity is only 100 tons, then it should cater only to the villages of Calangute, Candolim and Saligao, and not to entire North Goa.
In the case of Cacora, the government has again invoked the urgency clause in the land acquisition proceedings for a solid waste management facility for South Goa at Cacora in Quepem in view of the August High Court order which has set one year deadline.
According to the government, it was necessary to set up land fill sites and garbage treatment plant to prevent further environmental degradation such as ground water contamination, degradation of land, air pollution including health hazards. And since the setting up of such garbage treatment plant “involves obtaining of various permissions under prevailing Acts & Rules and also following formalities.
The notification issued by Ashutosh Apte, Under Secretary (Revenue-I) states that the government notifies under sub-section (1) of Section 4 of the said Act and supersedes the earlier notification, and that the provisions of Section 5-A of the said Act would not apply in this case.
The Deputy Collector/SDO, Quepem will perform the functions of Collector under the said Act for this purpose.
In another notification the Government has also notified the land acquisition for rehabilitation of families affected by Ribandar bypass.
The Government has appointed the Land Acquisition Officer, PWD (Cell), Altinho, Panjim as the competent authority.
Saligao villagers under the banner ‘Saligao Garbage struggle’ are against setting up of the plant at the proposed site and have threatened to approach the High Court if it is not shifted 700 m towards west
