MARGAO: Confirming that his visit to the Sonsoddo dump on Thursday isn’t a part of Salcete Mission, the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar assured that two waste treatment plants – one at Verna for Salcete taluka and another at Kakoda, for Sanguem, Sanvordem and Curchorem would be set up to resolve the garbage issue in South Goa.
This was the first official visit of the Chief Minister to Salcete taluka, after the 2017 election.
He inspected the Sonsoddo dump, where the waste clearing operation is on, in the presence of TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai, MMC chairperson Babita Prabhudesai, councillors, and other MMC officials.
“My target is to resolve the garbage problem in the state in next two years. But the result will be seen within these six months. We will be setting up two waste treatment plants in South Goa – one at Verna for Salcete and another at Kakoda for Sanguem, Sanvordem and Curchorem,” the Chief Minister said while speaking to the media after the waste dump inspection.
He said that a site has been identified for the purpose at Verna, and a decision on it will be taken by the month-end at a joint meeting.
He assured that there will be zero impact of the plant in Verna as everything will be treated and no waste will be dumped on the ground for the rainwater to percolate through it.
“These waste treatment plants will be like the one at Saligao. People will be heard. We will also be obtaining the Environment Impact Assessment report, and local bodies will also be taken into confidence, before going ahead with it,” he said.
The Chief Minister, however, cleared that Sonsoddo is not the right place for setting up such a plant as huge area is required for the purpose.
He said that Solid Waste Management Board met on Wednesday, and it was revealed that over 25 types of waste are found in the dump, and all need to be dealt with carefully, as the government wants to clear the waste fully.
He further said that his government is working on a methodology of having transfer stations for the village panchayats wherein waste would be dumped.
He disclosed that the process will start in July this year, and by October things will start taking shape.
The TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai said that his government is giving priority to clear the old dumps and make the state free of garbage.
He said that the Chief Minister is positive about resolving the issue of wholesale fish market, reconstruction of the swimming pool and replacement of carpet at the jogging track.
Though Parrikar did not visit Fomento Green’s solid waste treatment plant, operating at Sonsoddo, his indirect comments indicated that he is not bothered about the existing plant, but only concerned about clearing the waste with a new plant on the lines of the Saligao
plant.