Team Herald
VASCO: In a major move, the Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) has decided hold a mass protest to stop coal transportation on Vasco roads.
Though the date for the mass protest involving Vasco residents is yet to be finalized, MMC chairperson Deepak Naik said he would like to hold protest on December 19, or any other date after consulting the council members.
The issue of coal pollution was raised at the ordinary council meeting held on Friday wherein opposition councillor Shraddha Amonkar, reminded the chairperson that council has already taken a resolution in the past to stop coal transportation through the town, however, the decision is yet to be implemented.
She also sought to know the status of the comprehensive report on pollution level in port town for which Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) had taken the pollution readings at different locations months ago. However, the report has not yet been made public. Other councillors raised similar queries to which the chairperson informed the council that he too feels that pollution due to coal transportation has increased in the town after monsoon.
He said taking cognizance of coal pollution in town, Vasco MLA Carlos Almeida had in past taken the initiative and had called for a joint meeting with all the officials concerned.
“It is true that coal pollution had decreased a bit during rains but after the monsoons the same has increased. I am ready to come out on streets along with the council members and citizens. Surely we have to take this step of stopping coal transportation and thus once the date of protest is finalised we would stop the same and no vehicle with coal would be allowed to pass though the town,” Naik added.
Meanwhile, MMC unanimously resolved to purchase a new Innova vehicle for chairperson and Maruti Suzuki Ertiga for the chief officer besides another car for the engineers. Though the council cleared the chairperson’s proposal, several councillors raised their concerns over no development works undertaken in the past one year. To this, Naik admitted that the development in last one year had taken a backseat as the present council had to strive hard to strengthen its financial condition and added that from now onwards focus would be laid on developmental works in all 25 wards.
To reduce the cost of operations at Sada garbage treatment plant and at other locations by using JCB machines on hire, the MMC also resolved to purchase new JCB machines.
Another major decision taken at the meeting was to curb open defecation in the municipal jurisdiction and to make MMC wards defecation free by December 31. Chief Officer Deepali Naik also informed the council that under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the council intends to provide public/community and mobile toilet facilities as there is open defecation taking place in 19 wards.
“To make MMC wards defecation-free by December 31 2016, I have asked the respective ward councillors to identify the areas where such toilets are needed or whether existing toilets including Sulabh toilets need to be repaired,” she said.
The Council also raised their concerns over the proposal received from MPT for construction of a fence and for maintenance of the ground near Ganesh temple at Bogda under CSR.
The Council later rejected the proposal for granting NOC for the arch at IOCL junction, but decided to grant NOC for development works proposed by MPT under CSR.
