Old Goa p’yat wants Bainguinim waste plant scrapped, locals warn of agitation
Panaji: Old Goa Panchayat has demanded the scrapping of the proposed waste management plant at Bainguinim, warning that locals will initiate an agitation if the government goes ahead with the proposal.
Addressing a press conference on Saturday, Old Goa Sarpanch Medha Parvatkar, along with other panch members and citizens, said that the opposition to the plant has been ongoing since 2002.
“We don’t want the plant. We have been opposing it since 2002. There is the world heritage site at Old Goa with its churches. There are temples and mutts, four schools, and a hospital. We fear that the plant will lead to pollution,” she said.
Panch member Ambar Amonkar said that in the public hearings held for the proposal, more than 90% of the people had expressed their opposition against the plant. He also said that local MLA Rajesh Faldessai will not back out, despite party pressure.
“The area, which is Kadamba plateau where the plant is proposed, is the fastest growing, and is even called by some as Upper Panaji. The proposed site is at the top of the geological ecosystem. It will cause problems like water contamination, heritage destruction, and destruction of eco-sensitive zones. People living in the areas at the foot of the plateau will be affected,” he said.
He also said that there is a discrepancy in the March 2024 gazette notification on the plant.
“On page 5, it is mentioned that they propose to set up a 100-tonne plant, while on page 11, it is stated as 250 tonnes. The government is unclear on the capacity. Hence, the whole plan has to be scrapped. The periphery of the proposed site abounds a residential area with more than 3,000 people living there,” he said.
“We have seen how the people of Saligao within a radius of 5 km of the waste treatment plant there are suffering. The government should instead decentralise such plants. Instead of building Rs 500-crore plants at Verna and Bainguinim, a plant in each constituency will cost Rs 25 crore,” he added.
Four-time panch member and former sarpanch Vinayak Fadte said that the site for the plant was being opposed even before he became a panch member.
“It was not a residential area then, but despite this, the government itself got approvals for many housing projects. Now there are projects each consisting of 250–400 flats. The complexes are nearly touching the boundary of this plant site, with no buffer zone. Instead, the minister concerned should take the plant to a site in Taleigao which he had proposed earlier.
We have requested the Chief Minister in writing as well on numerous occasions, they should understand our seriousness. We will not allow the plant to come at the site, no matter how much force they apply. We are ready to agitate. We have taken morcha in the past with the support of the villagers in the vicinity as well, and we will do it again,” he said.
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