SUNDAY, APRIL 28, 2024
MARCOS GONSALVES
DAVORLIM : Citizens from Rumdamol-Davorlim have high hopes that new waste treatment plant through the panchayat initiative will be able to resolve the waste nuisance in the village. This village is the first one in the State to have a two tonnes garbage digester.
The village panchayat of Rumdamoll-Davorlim and Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro has appealed to the citizens to cooperate in getting rid of garbage nuisance.
Through this waste treatment plant, all the wet waste will be treated and transformed into fertilizer, which will be sold at the rate of Rs 12 per kg. Dry waste will be handed over to the Solid waste management Corporation after the baling process.
Anthony Fernandes from Davorlim said that his village is facing a tough time in tackling the issue of garbage, which is seen everywhere on the roadside.
"There has been an increase in the population in the village for the last many years, as a result of the increase in garbage too. Due to no proper system in place in order to tackle it, this issue has been a major headache for the panchayat and also the people. Adding to that is the no civic sense amongst the people. Many throw waste on the roadside," said Fernandes.
It may be recalled that recently the garbage treatment shed was inaugurated by Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro. This shed was built over an area of 500 sq mts and constructed at the cost of Rs. 35 lakh which were provided to the panchayat with grants under the 14th Finance Commission
However, the villagers objected to bringing garbage from other villages and expressed fears that the spillage on the road would be detrimental to the purpose of keeping the village clean. Hence the plant has been set up only for Rumdamol-Davorlim village while Davorlim-Dicarpale and Aquem-Baixo will have to make their own arrangements.
Avita Chodankar, Sarpanch of Rumdamoll-Davorlim panchayat said that the panchayat had to face a tough time handling the issue for the last many years.
“Hence, we decided to start with a small garbage treatment plant in the panchayat area. We had a Rs1 crore grant sanction under the 14th finance commission. At the initial stage, we built a shed. We met the block development officer with the help of Zilla Panchayat member Ulhas Tuenkar with regard to the treatment plant and it got approved. This machinery cost around Rs 70 lakh. Our MLA helped them to construct a road leading towards the treatment plant”
According to MLA and former Chief Minister Luizinho Faleiro this two-tonne wet bio-digester/automatic organic waste composter machine is equipped with all accessories, a sanitary napkin incinerator machine and baling machine with five HP motors will surely help the village panchayat to tackle the waste problem.
"We must note that this is the first panchayat in the state of Goa to have a two tonnes garbage digester. Efforts have been made to have all sections related to tackling the garbage at one place, despite a small panchayat", he stated.
The MLA further said that the system starts with segregation, water removal, digester which can handle two tonnes of waste at a time.
He also insisted that they start educating and bringing discipline amongst the people with regard to garbage handling.
"We should know how to segregate the waste at the houses; hence two separate dustbins should be given to each household to keep wet and dry waste separately. Further, it will become easier to collect garbage at the treatment plant, said Luizinho.
He said the road leading to the treatment plant will be fully completed once the dry spell gets started, and even the arrangements will be made to bring the waste into the plant at night time.
MLA also requested the panchayat to see to it that garbage is not dumped here and there, as it should directly come to the treatment plant. "However, the garbage problem will be resolved completely only when everybody cooperates. Everybody needs to work hard towards resolving the issue, garbage is not an easy issue to handle", said Luizinho.
