Mauvin demands land for garbage treatment at Verna

Mauvin demands land for garbage treatment at Verna
HERALD REPORTER
VASCO, SEPT 25
Furious with the State government for failing to take remedial measures to curb bird strikes at Dabolim airport, Deputy Speaker and local MLA Mauvin Godinho has said the government seems to be awaiting a major air disaster to take place.
He has accused the government of unwarranted delay in handing over land at Verna Industrial Estate to treat garbage.
In the absence of a garbage treatment plant in the area, garbage is being dumped in the area of the Dabolim airport and this has attracted birds to the site.
The Navy had claimed that open disposal of garbage in the vicinity of Dabolim had attracted birds to the airport field and this was a major factor leading to bird strikes.
“I think that State government is waiting for major air disaster to occur, before it decides to act,” said an annoyed Deputy Speaker Mauvin Godinho, while speaking to reporters along the sidelines of the launch of GO-1 News and Entertainment channel at La-Paz Gardens Hotel on Saturday.
“Growing bird strikes are mainly due to the open disposal of garbage surrounding Dabolim airport. Such incidents not only tarnish the image of Goa, being a tourist destination, but it would also take away the lives of innocent passengers,” said Godinho.
Godinho is upset with the government for delaying his one-and-half year-old proposal for a garbage treatment plant at Verna Industrial Estate.
He had planned that the garbage treatment plant at Verna Industrial Estate would cater to all six village panchayats in Cortalim constituency and the newly delimited Dabolim Constituency.
“This site is ideal as the AAI does not want any garbage treatment plant to be set up within a 10-km radius of the airport. This 10-km radius covers almost the whole of my Cortalim constituency,” said Godinho.
The Verna Industrial Estate, which is spread across two talukas (Mormugao and Salcete), has vast tracts of land acquired from Cortalim and Quelossim, which forms part of Cortalim constituency in Mormugao taluka.
“I have been forced to go against my own government and threaten an agitation to ensure that land is allotted at Verna for the treatment plant,” said Godinho.
He pointed out that a few years ago, the Cortalim Communidade had handed over nearly 18 lakh square metres of land to the State government to set up industries at the Verna Industrial Estate.
‘We have demanded only 50,000 square metres of land for the treatment plant, but despite our repeated requests, things have not materialised,” complained the deputy speaker.
He claimed that he would lead a delegation of members from all six panchayats to meet Chief Minister Digambar Kamat on Monday to put forth their demand.
“If the land is not given in the shortest possible time, we will be forced to agitate against our own government,” he warned.