MARGAO, OCT 6
The scheme for the establishment of scrap waste recycling units has come into force in the State, but village sarpanchas have raised eyebrows over the status of the scrapyards in their jurisdiction till the time they are shifted into the proposed trade zones.
That the sarpanchas are opposed to any further continuation of scrap activity in their respective jurisdiction became evident at a meeting called by the Chairman of the Salcete Joint Committee headed by Deputy Collector Johnson Fernandes.
The sarpanchas are not averse to the setting up of the trade zones to house the illegal scrap yards, but they are strongly opposed to bestowing these scrap yards any legal status before they are shifted to the proposed trade zones.
Salcete taluka itself is the home for around 149 scrap yards, with the major concentration in the villages of Sao Jose de Areal, Rumdamol, Davorlim, Dramapur etc.
Says former Rumdamol-Davorlim Sarpanch Ulhas Tuemkar: “The Sarpanchas of Rumdamol, Sao Jose de Areal, Dramapur and Loutolim have strongly opposed continuation of the scrap yards at the existing sites. We have told the Joint Committee that the scrap yards should not enjoy any legal status till their proposed shifting to trade zones within two years”.
Take note, the sarpanchas are wary of the fact that the proposed trade zones may not take off within the two-year period, leaving the scrap yards at the existing sites with backing of the authorities.
Chairman of the Salcete Joint Committee, Deputy Collector, Johnson Fernandes said the Committee has been given a clear brief to provide for orderly establishment of waste recycling units in the state; to provide for establishment of trade zones to conduct the business of bury, selling and processing of recyclable waste and to identify and allot land for the units dealing in buying and selling recyclable waste.
When his attention was drawn to apprehensions raised by the Sarpanchas that the illegal scrap yards may get regularization from the Joint Committee, Johnson said the committee has no brief to regularize the scrap yards, but hastened to add that scrap yards not posing any health hazard may continue till they are shifted to the trade zones.
Incidentally, the Joint Committee headed by Johnson has so far received around 54 applications for registration of the scrapyards under the Goa Waste (Scrap) Recyling units schemes, 2010.
Many more applications are in the pipeline as the Scheme mandates action against scrap yards failing to register their units with the authorities.
The Scheme envisages establishment of trade zones in different parts of the state for recyclable waste within two years in consultation with the Goa Industrial Corporation after assessing and studying the needs of the traders.
