Team Herald
MARGAO: Raia villagers vehemently opposed the shifting of any part of the garbage management programme at Sonsoddo within the jurisdiction of their village and asserted that Margao’s garbage be dealt with strictly in the town jurisdiction. They also demanded the resignation of Raia Sarpanch and Deputy Sarpanch for not attending the public meeting held recently in front of the Church.
The meeting threatened to turn into a blame game with Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco being targeted but Raia parish priest Fr Conceicao D’Silva smoothed ruffled feathers and insisted that the meeting only discuss the plans to shift Sonsoddo management in Raia.
Reginaldo revealed that the Waste Management Minister had informed him that while Sonsoddo dumpyard was cleared by the remediation process, the separated plastic would be baled and stored in the MMC land on the other side, which is in Raia village.
“While I did not object to the remediation process as that is required, I strongly objected to using area in Raia even to store plastic as then, the mess would flow to this village during monsoons,” he said while pointing out that Vijai Sardesai as Forest Minister had demarcated that area as an urban forest.
The Compere of the meeting tried to target Reginaldo by calling on the dais people to state that the MLA did not take their calls regarding the alleged illegal road construction at Dagwal by police personnel and even the Sarpanch and Deputy Sarpanch of Curtorim panchayat targeted the MLA on the hotel project in their village.
However, Fr Conceicao put things in place and the meeting unanimously resolved against having Margao garbage dealt with in Raia. The villagers resolved against allowing any illegal road to be constructed in the village and also demanded the resignation of Raia Sarpanch and Deputy for not attending the meeting.
Amongst those who addressed the meeting were former Sarpanch Xavier, ZP member Moreno Rebello, Curtorim Sarpanch Rui Menezes and Camurlim Sarpanch Basil Fernandes.
Speaking to Herald, Xavier admitted that the police personnel were making allegations against him and said that if they prove that they have purchased the adjacent land, then he will not stop them building the road. He asserted that as of now it was an illegal development since that land does not belong to the police personnel society.
Rejecting the statement reportedly issued by the police personnel society, he pointed out that it was not typed on a letterhead nor was it signed by anybody. “They knew that I would file a defamation case against them and hence have deliberately not signed the press note,” he added.
