Govt crticised for reverting Bainguinim site

Govt crticised for reverting Bainguinim site
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, JAN 25
The Corporation of City of Panaji councilor Surendra Furtado today strongly criticized the government for reverting the Bainguinim site to the collector saying the government is ‘playing into the hands of real estate agents.’
The CCP has plans to set up garbage disposal plant for treating the waste scientifically but due to opposition from various quarters including political and religious groups, the government had been dragging its feet over the issue.
‘I strongly condemn the decision of the government and specially the Chief Minister Digambar Kamat for having reverted back the Bainguinim site back to the collector instead of seeing to it that a sophisticated garbage treatment plant comes in its place,’ Furtado said.
He also warned the government not to play into the hands of real estate people ‘who have vested interest.’
He said the CCP has called for expression of interest from reputed consultants. ‘Now the CCP should form a committee to choose the best consultants who in turn should present a power presentation to the panchayat to convince people that it is not a garbage dump but a sophisticated plant,’ he said.
The CCP Mayor should also apprise the High Court on the matter.
As Panjim’s garbage woes were reaching a point of no return, the State Government had handed over the Bainguinim site to Corporation of City of Panaji (CCP) on January 13.
 ‘As per the oral instructions of Minister for Urban Development and the Collector (North Goa), the possession of the land admeasuring a total of 1,71,312 sq mts at Bainguinim has been handed over to the CCP’, said the order of the Deputy Collector, A Fernandes.
However, the Chief Minister had told the delegation of the villagers that CCP would not dump the garbage at the site and there would be a sophisticated treatment plant.
‘If the people are opposing to the dump we will finalise the technology and only than take a decision,’ the chief minister had told the delegation.