VASCO: It was storm that was visible at the Mormugao Municipal Council on Friday. The officials of the Municipality were not only puzzled, but were also seen in total shock as this time they were facing the heat of law after an FIR was lodged by the State pollution control board against the chief officer, chairperson and other officers for failing to comply with the directives issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Pune bench order dated May 29, 2014.
MMC Chief Officer J B Bingui clarified to Herald that he was unaware about the FIR lodged against him by the Member Secretary of Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB), Levinson Martins and that the Mormugao Municipality didn’t make attempts to comply the NGT order directing it to put its garbage treatment plant in order at Headland Sada. “Garbage plant issue is a big issue and that has begun since the time Chemtrols Engineering Ltd, (the company that set up the MSW plant at Sada in 2000) stopped treating the solid waste some years ago. The directions of NGT actually helped the council to put things at the garbage plant in order and thus today except for installation of weigh bridge (30 ton capacity) other things that was asked of us to comply with, have already been complied with as per the NGT order,” he said.
In his defence, Bingui said that the only reason behind this mess is due to long pending upgradation work that was proposed for the solid waste management plant at Headland Sada. “The plant is due for upgradation. In the meantime, we have started using weighbridge owned by Zuari Agro chemicals. The moment the proposal of new plant is cleared we would start the work of up gradation and the issue will then be resolved,” he said.
Commenting on the police action on the issue, Bingui said that although “I am new to the issue, but will extend all cooperation to the police to complete their investigation by presenting all the facts in the case”.
