Team Herald
MARGAO: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday announced plans for three more garbage treatment plants in Goa taking the total strength to four units.
The chief minister also assured Goans to streamline garbage management of the State in two years.
Parrikar made these announcements during a visit to Margao. He was accompanied by TCP Minister Vijai Sardessai, MMC Chairperson Babita Angle, the chief officer and others.
On the occasion, the chief minister inspected the joggers track and the wholesale fish market at Fatorda.
He said, “We have identified 25 types of wastes. We have formed a small action group which will meet next week to find a concrete solution to the garbage generation.”
He said that one of the three proposed plants would be built at Verna to take care of garbage from Margao and Salcete and that the government has been searching for land at the Verna Industrial estate and would finalise the land by month end.
Swearing on the reliability of the technology of the plant at Saligao, Parrikar said that there is no disposing of any waste or by-product into the land and only 7% of the garbage is inert and sent for land fill.
On the disposal of the dump at Sonsodo, the chief minister said, “Technically it requires 120 days, but we are putting one more screen and I hope that the waste will be reduced to half soon.”
Explaining the new technology, Parrikar said, “The plant doesn’t require segregated waste and it is an approved technology. We are planning for a fleet of four plants for solid waste management, one at Saligao which is functional now and the next ones to come up in Verna, Bainguinim and Cacoda. The plants will take care of the garbage of these areas and surrounding.”
“My target is to solve the problem of garbage across the State in two years but you will see results in six months,” he added.
TCP Minister Vijai Sardessai said that it is their priority to end Sonsodo – a 50-year-old problem of Fatorda.
On the wholesale fish market issue at Fatorda, the minister said that he has proposed to have a modern wholesale fish market and a fish exchange which would be first of its kind. He also added that the chief minister has agreed to most of the things.
