The Hindu 01.10.2010
Alemao: we will solve solid waste management problem by March
Special Correspondent
12 of 14 municipalities to set up garbage treatment plants
Governor chairs meet to review steps taken by Government
PANAJI: The Goa Government assured Governor S.S. Sidhu on Wednesday that the problem of solid waste management in urban areas would largely be solved by March 2011 when garbage treatment plants of 12 of the 14 municipalities would be commissioned.
Minister for Urban Development Joaquim Alemao gave this assurance at a high-level meeting chaired by Mr. Sidhu to review the steps taken by the Government and local bodies to tackle the issue of solid waste management.
The meeting held at the Raj Bhavan was attended by Chief Minister Digambar Kamat some of his Cabinet colleagues, Secretaries of deparatments and other senior officers of the State.
The Governor suggested institution of awards as incentives to village panchayats to encourage them to deal with garbage problem in their respective areas.
The Chief Minister, while listing the steps taken by the Government to solve the problem, said that about seven acres of land had been acquired at Dona Paula on the outskirts of the city to set up a garbage treatment plant.
On tackling the garbage problem in villages, it was informed that of the total 189 village panchayats in Goa, 169 had identified sites for setting up garbage treatment plants. Of these, 71 proposals were cleared by the Goa State Pollution Control Board while administrative nod was given to 15 proposals.
It was also said that the main hurdle to acquire land at the panchayat level was gram sabhas which were opposing land acquisition on one pretext or the other.
The Governor has been for long consistently monitoring the garbage disposal problem of the State “not only to ensure health and hygiene of the local people but also to present a proper image before the world considering the fact the coastal State was promoting tourism on a large scale.”
