Team Herald
PANJIM: In a major embarrassment to the administration and government, the ruling CCP corporators rejected the proposal to setup a bio-digester with CSR funds from the casino lobby.
The Panjim MLA backed ruling panel of the corporation took exception to the proposal placed by the CCP Commissioner Shashank Tripathi to execute the setting up of the bio-digester garbage treatment plant. The plant was proposed to be set-up at the land adjacent to the sewage treatment plant (STP).
At the special meeting of the CCP on Friday, corporator Rahul Lotlikar objected to the use of funds from the casinos. He questioned the Commissioner if the municipality was bending to the casino lobby even as they (casinos) continue to carry out their illegalities.
Citing the complaints filed by the casino against the local MLA, Mayor and others, he said “Are we bending backwards to the casinos lobby? They have become a mafia and carryout illegalities and the CCP has not acted against them. If a common man doing business in the city, he gets a notice and is fined, whereas these casinos have installed huge display boards illegally and nothing is being done to them.”
He further objected to the bio-digester due to the traffic movement of tankers to the STP.
Echoing his sentiments, Shubhada Shirgaonkar said that the locals around the area suffer due to the heavy traffic movement. Another corporator Sheetal Naik stated that the stench from the sewage tankers caused a lot of inconvenience to the locals.
However, the BJP backed corporators, who are in the opposition in the CCP supported the setting up of the bio-digester. Menino D’Cruz alleged that the ruling panel was politicising the issue to garner brownie points.
Former mayor Surendra Furtado supported the demand of the ruling corporators to reject the proposal in the interest of the citizens.
CCP Mayor Uday Madkaikar informed that the municipality with the help of the Solid Waste Management Corporation (SWMC) will be setting up a garbage treatment plant at the site behind the Heera Petrol Pump. He said “The government has assured us to set-up the plant which can treat 7 tonnes per hour and the garbage that was being transported to Saligao will be treated at the plant here.”
Due to the strong opposition to the bio-digester the CCP Commissioner walked out of the meeting even before announcing the scrapping of the project and the national anthem to conclude the meeting.
