NT NETWORK
SALIGAO
Curchorem in South Goa will have the next garbage treatment plant in state at Cacora, after the efficiency of the plant at Calangute–Saligao plateau is proved, said the Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Monday.
Parrikar was speaking after inaugurating Goa’s 1st garbage treatment plant, and first of its kind in India, on occasion of the Statehood Day in the presence of Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza, Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar, Panchayat Minister Rajendra Arlekar, Minister for Science and Technology Alina Saldanha, chairman of GSIDC and Sankhali MLA Dr Pramod Sawant, vice chairman of GSIDC and Panaji MLA Sidharth Kunkalienkar, Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral, Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar and Calangute MLA Michael Lobo, Aldona MLA Glen Ticklo, Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Ramesh Tawadkar, Chief Secretary R K Srivastava, Chairman of GPSC Jose Manuel Noronho, managing director of GSIDC Sanjit Rodrigues, chairman of MMC Sandip Falari, sarpanchas of neighboring villages, ZP member Shawn Martins and communidade members of Saligao and Calangute.
Addressing the gathering at the Saligao-Calangute plateau, Parrikar said that “the land acquisition for the plant was done in just 12 days’ time, and the process was completed on December 31, 2014, which is a record, before the new land acquisition rules came into effect on January 1, 2015. No land has been acquired after the new rules on land acquisition have come into force.”
“Opposition to the plant made me go ahead with it. After some people went to court, I thought of bringing perfection to the plant,” he said.
Parrikar said that he personally went and saw a plant in Germany, adding a delegation was also taken to study garbage plants in Germany, Italy and Austria.
“Segregation of garbage has been a major problem. Garbage needs to be segregated at source before being sent to the plant. After 15 days, the plant will be certified, and the next plant will be set up at Cacora in Curchorem. The government has not spent any money on the plant. The Hindustan Waste Treatment Private Ltd will operate the plant for 10 years, and after that it will be handed over to the government,” he added.
“The plant has cost Rs 145 crore, and will handle 100 tonne of garbage every day. The garbage handling capacity could be increased to 400 tonne if required. The government will pay Rs 2.5 crore to the company, and Rs 7 crore every year for its maintenance. More such plants will be set up in India depending on the success of this plant,” he said.
Stating that during his tenure as Panaji MLA, he had started the STP, and today there are 600 such plants all over India, adding at that time it was the first of its kind in India.
Parsekar said that the some have a bad habit of opposing the projects, and added that “we had to face opposition for garbage treatment plant, Mandovi bridge and Tiracol bridge projects.”
He further said that the trial runs were conducted at the plant for 8 to 10 days, and added that during that time, the panchayat members witnessed the working of the plant.
“Tourism has become the main source of income in the state and as such many hotels and shacks have come up. Lot of garbage is being generated, which was not the case some 25 years ago. Even the honorable High Court has directed the village panchayats to take care of their own garbage. With this plant coming at the Calangute plateau, every village panchayat should collect the garbage generated, and send it to the plant.
D’Souza, speaking on occasion, said that “everyone should work to resolve the garbage disposal issue. Presently people are just dumping the garbage in nullahs, rivers and roadsides.”
Saldanha said that “Goa is known for its cleanliness. But of late, locals and tourists are complaining about garbage. This plant will treat garbage from 24 villages in north.”
To keep a check on plastic waste, the Minister for Science and Technology said that every business community will have to register themselves with the village panchayat and pay Rs 48,000 yearly for keeping carry bags, and added that if found not registered, the business establishments will be fined.
Earlier, the Defence Minister unfurled the National Flag and inspected the guard of honor and inaugurated the plant.
Dr Sawant welcomed the gathering, while director of Department of Science and Technology Levinson Martins proposed the vote of thanks.