NT NETWORK
MARGAO
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday said that he wants to operate buses which will run on the fuel generated by the Saligao garbage treatment plant.
Speaking as a chief guest for the inauguration of two sewerage treatments plants – one of 6.5 MLD and second of 20 MLD – at Shirvodem, Margao, Parrikar said that first three buses will be plied on the Margao-Panaji route on trial basis from August 15.
A regular bus service running on that particular fuel will be started by December 2017.
The Chief Minister said that 50 buses can easily be run on the fuel generated at the Saligao garbage treatment plant.
“This will help reduce air pollution,’’ he emphasised.
Parrikar assured that he will not discriminate against Salcete taluka vis-a-vis development, adding that he has spent Rs 6 crore everyday in the last 105 days for infrastructure development.
Parrikar said that he has plans to set up four garbage treatment plants in the state with latest technology, and these plants would not give out foul odour.
“We have decided to set up a garbage treatment plant at Verna for Salcete and Mormugao talukas. Salcete itself generates 160 to 180 tonne of garbage. There is a big challenge before me to clear the old waste and commence new treatment plants. If everybody cooperate with the government by keeping aside the politics, I can try to make Goa a garbage-free state,’’ he said, and sought cooperation of every citizen and every politician to make Goa a garbage-free state by 2020.
Speaking on the Shirvodem sewerage treatment plants, Parrikar said the treated water will be cleaner than any river water. The two new plants will give relief to the people of Margao and Navelim from foul odour emanating from the existing plant.
PWD Minister Ramakrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar; Margao MLA Digambar Kamat; Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro; former minister Avertano Furtado and MMC chairperson Babita Prabhudesai were also present on the occasion.
Dhavalikar asserted that the BJP-led government has been fulfilling the promises made to the people.
“We have adopted ‘trenchless technology’,” he said.
Many of the projects are fully funded by the Centre, Dhavalikar said adding that Rs 160 crore will be spent for constructing a stilt bridge which has been promised to the people of Navelim.
Faleiro thanked Parrikar for the sewerage treatment plants as people of Navelim had suffered due to the absence of a sewerage treatment plant.
He urged the Chief Minister to endeavour to preserve the beauty and pristine glory of Saipem lake.
Kamat explained how people of Margao were releasing their sewage in the open in the absence of a plant.
Furtado also thanked Parrikar for completing the project that had been initiated by Furtado when he was a minister.