TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: The avowed objective behind installing this waste treatment plant in Nuvem was not just to tackle the waste generated in the market, but to treat wet garbage from households as well.
Of lately, winds of urbanisation have been blowing over Nuvem, which is situated on the outskirts of an expanding Margao city, with housing projects making its presence felt in the village.
But more than a year and half after the waste composting plant was commissioned with much fanfare, it is lying in the doldrums for want of funds. And even as the waste problem stares at the village, the panchayat has been literally struggling to put a mechanism in place for want of men and money.
Former Sarpanch Philipa Baretto said the local body had operated the plant only for some time before it was shut down for want of resources. And she recalled that the compost produced by the unit was sold for Rs 4,000, but lamented that the project came a cropper in the absence of men and funds. “The composting unit had to be operated with electric power. Besides, we had to employ manpower to oversee the operation, which proved costly. The plant treated only the waste generated by the market and we were handicapped to employ workers to bring waste from households,” she said.
Her successor Reuben D’Costa echoed similar sentiments. Reuben has made an impassioned plea to Panchayat Minister Laxmikant Parsekar to allocate funds for garbage collection and disposal. “I think the government should be realistic when it comes to allocating funds for garbage collection and disposal. Panchayats are permitted to only make an annual budgetary provision of Rs one lakh for garbage collection and disposal. Our experience suggests that even a small panchayat body will not be in a position to treat waste with Rs one lakh,” he said.
The Sarpanch pointed out that since Nuvem is growing and expanding rapidly, the village should have a door-to-door waste collection facility, which would not only ensure waste segregation, but get rid of the waste.
Incidentally, panchayat members pointed out that while neighbouring Margao Municipal Council spends huge funds on garbage collection and disposal, urbanised villages like Nuvem are hit by financial and monetary constraints. And while Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar is bracing up to set up a Rs 100 crore waste treatment plant for South Goa, a small waste treatment plant in Nuvem village is craving for attention for want of funds.
