TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PORVORIM: Residents of Cunchelim near Mapusa have strongly opposed plans by the Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) to set up a garbage treatment plant in the village.
A large number of villagers gathered at the site of the garbage treatment plant and protested when MMC took up construction work of compound wall.
It may be recalled that MMC had acquired about 30,000 sq mtrs of land at Cuchelim to set up garbage treatment plant, for which they had spent about Rs 2.3 crore. The MMC had also earmarked Rs 47 lakh towards the construction of compound wall.
A resident, Uday Nachinolker, told Herald that a few months back when MMC had begun constructing a compound wall, agitated residents had registered their protest and stopped the work.
“A temple is in the vicinity of the site and the smell from the plant will make the life of the residents miserable. If the plant comes up, there will be contamination of wells and several illnesses will spread in the village,” added Nachinolker.
“Our delegation will meet the MMC chief officer and Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza soon and request them to shift the location elsewhere in the forest area,” added Nachinolker.
Advocate Vaman Pandit said MMC is presently dumping garbage on the Assagao Plateau. “About 200 plots are being developed on this plateau and to facilitate the sale of these plots, MMC wants to dump garbage at Cunchelim,” claimed Pandit.
“The government has announced that a garbage treatment will come up at Calangute, where garbage from Mapusa can be accommodated. What is the need to have one more plant at Cunchelim,” questioned Pandit.
