DHIRAJ HARMALKAR
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VASCO: Several panchayats from Mormugao taluka have been fined Rs 5,000 and more by the Goa State Pollution Control Board for not complying with the directives given by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the High Court to undertake proper waste management, to install Material Recovery Facility (MRF) and to hand over the waste to Goa State Waste Management Corporation for proper final disposal. GSPCB chairman Ganesh Shetgaonkar said that the fines varied as per the severity of the violations done by the village panchayats.
Velsao sarpanch Henriques D’Mello said that an Rs.25000 fine has been imposed on Velsao panchayat by GSPCB. “Panchayat collects door-to-door garbage and the garbage collecting contractor takes the garbage for disposal. But people litter garbage on the roadside.
Cansaulim to now set up a waste management mechanism
Cansaulim sarpanch Jose Maria Furtado informed that Rs 5,000 fine has been imposed on them by GSPCB. “Although we do collect garbage some amount of garbage is still being seen littered. We do door-to-door garbage collection and we send it to the contractor who disposes it. Now the site has been identified and NOC from landlords has been obtained for setting up a waste treatment mechanism. The panchayat has floated a tender and work order is awaited,” he added.
Quelossim doesn’t have localised waste management solutions
Verna and Quelossim Panchayat Secretary Narayan Naik informed that Quelossim panchayat has been fined Rs 5,000 as there is no waste treatment plant set up in the village. Surprisingly, there is no fine imposed on Verna. There is a management of waste and the panchayat has a shed for waste segregation and they do door-to-door garbage collection.
Fined for not setting up a waste treatment facility
Cortalim and Nagoa panchayat secretary Sachin Naik informed that both panchayats have been fined Rs 5,000 each. The fine has been imposed for not setting up a waste treatment facility for waste generated in panchayat jurisdiction. There is no Material Recovery Facility (MRF) as recommended by NGT and High Court. In this facility the waste collected gets segregated and then it is handed over to the Goa Waste Management Corporation for final disposal.
Fined for mismanagement of dry waste
Sancoale panchayat secretary Krishna Gaude also confirmed that the panchayat was slapped with a “polluters fine” for mismanagement of dry waste. “Although the tendering process to build MRF has been done and the work order for this project is pending. For wet waste, 3 TPD tonnes per day bio-digester installation is under process”, he added.
VPs have failed to comply with HC & NGT directives, admits Chicalim panchayat
Chicalim panchayat secretary Kapil Naik said GSPCB has imposed a uniform fine of Rs 5,000 on most panchayats. There was a directive from the High Court and the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to have MRF in each panchayat. And because panchayats have failed to comply with the directives, the GSPCB has imposed fine on panchayat. “Our panchayat does door-to-door dry waste collection and the wet waste is disposed of via pit system by having compost pits. There are efforts to install MRF shed, work order has been issued. Another project of setting up biogas plant is also in pipeline for wet waste which could even generate a gas which further could be used for generation of power. This proposal has gone for approval from the government and if these things materialise then the garbage issues will be solved from our panchayat,” Naik added.
Site for installation of MRF identified, awaiting govt funds
Bogmalo-Chicolna panchayat secretary Asha Mesta, also a recipient of the fine said, “The panchayat has already identified a site for installation of MRF and the project file is awaiting the administrative approval. The proposal of this MRF has been estimated around Rs 45 lakh and we are waiting for a government fund.”
“Our panchayat does door to door dry and wet garbage collection. Roadside waste is also being collected by our panchayat,” Mesta added.
