PANJIM: What was supposed to be the state-of-the-art plant for treating garbage from North Goa and especially coastal areas in North Goa, has today become an eyesore for the villagers.
What appears to be sheer violation of the terms of consent and directions of the National Green Tribunal, the State government is accepting more than permitted waste at the Saligao Waste Treatment Plant and is also mulling its expansion despite villagers’ opposition.
The NGT on January 28, 2016, had passed the order in a petition filed by the Saligao locals and Goa Foundation, giving go ahead to the solid waste management facility (SWMF) at Saligao.
However, the NGT had asked the villagers to monitor the functioning of the garbage processing plant.
It had also directed that only 100 tonnes of garbage should be treated at the plant daily, besides, NGT has made it compulsory for CCTV to be installed so as to monitor the functioning.
The most important point in the order was that the villagers of Saligao have been permitted to monitor the functioning of the garbage processing plant. If they note that any of the conditions in the joint statement are violated, the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) will issue immediate directions. Parties can approach the NGT as well.
The NGT had also said the plot where the plant is situated has a green area of 33 percent and in and around the plant bordering on the periphery and has already been declared as a natural cover/no development zone, the protection shall continue to be in operation and the area shall not be altered for any other land use.
