TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Aggrieved over inaction by the Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) to stop dumping of waste along the GIDC industrial estate roads leading to Loutulim, the village gram sabha on Sunday presided by Sarpanch Maria Monteiro resolved to collect the same and dump it at the door steps of GIDC head office at Panjim.
The gram sabha ended without any resolution taken on development works. However gram sabha members unanimously supported the resolution moved by Seby Vaz to collect and dump all garbage found along the GIDC industrial estate — Verna roads leading to Loutolim at the GIDC office in Panjim.
All the nine panchayat members not only supported the resolution, but agreed to go along to dump the waste collected at the door steps of GIDC head office. Local MLA Mickky Pacheco was also present at the gram sabha.
Locals in Loutulim have in past expressed their strong resentment over the garbage dumping along the roads situated in industrial area in the Loutulim causing environmental problem. Sarpanch Monteiro informed the aggrieved villagers that in past the panchayat body along with local MLA and villagers had carried out inspections on the complaints received.
She also informed that a letter had been written to the authorities in GIDC informing of the problem with a request to make available a site for garbage disposal at the industrial estate in view of over 20 lakh square meters of Loutulim comunidade acquired which could be used to treat the garbage.
She also informed to have taken the issue with state chief secretary recently but lamented that no remedial measures were taken by authorities concerned.
Monteiro denied that she was a Portuguese citizen and disallowed further discussion on the issue.
Among other issues discussed were up gradation of health centre, Bharat Petroleum cooking gas supply, GIDC to Angadi–Borim bypass linking road completion and need of 24X7 ambulance at Loutulim.
