Team Herald
PANJIM: Pornem Goemcho Nagrik Monch a citizens’ forum of the residents of Bainguinim in Old Goa has opposed the proposed waste treatment plant at Bainguinim stating that it is another Sonsoddo in the making.
NIO scientist Arvind Kumar Saran, who is a resident in the vicinity of the proposed plant site, cautioned that the plant will become another Sonsoddo for the residents living in Old Goa.
He said “If you look at the technical aspects of the plant it is going to be a Sonsoddo or a larger Saligao plant in the making. There is no ground survey done in the entire report which has been submitted and the government calls it a draft report or the rapid EIA report. This report has been done only for one season whereas this study has to be done comprehensively for a year period.”
He stated that the place is not the right site for the plant to some up as the government has given permission for the residential colonies and schools to come up within the close proximity of one kilometre.
The forum’s president Amber Amonkar said with apprehensions of it becoming another Sonsoddo the heritage stature of Old Goa will be lost. “We are against the garbage plant which is coming up in Old Goa, as it will destroy the heritage stature of the village and it will also destroy the tourism of the place”, he added.
Another resident Ankita Narvekar informed that there are more than 1500 flats already existing in the vicinity and all of them get water from the bore wells and there is no water connection from the PWD.
“The land is supposedly been acquired for the plant in 2006, whereas the residential colonies have been given permission even in 2009 and later. If the government was certain of constructing a garbage plant there then why were the permissions granted”, she questioned.
