Dear Saligaokaram, We appealed to *everyone*: our Sarpanch and Panchayat, our MLA, our Chief Minister and all the concerned departments in the Goa government. They refused to listen. Betrayal, insolence and arrogance are all we got.
Funded by generous Saligaokars, locally and across the globe, the courts are our next line of action... *NGT ISSUES NOTICE ON STAY OF SALIGAO GARBAGE PLANT* On 9 January 2015, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) at Pune issued notice on an appeal filed by the Saligao Civic & Consumer Cell (SCCC) and the Goa Foundation against the Environment Clearance given to the Department of Science and Technology by the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority for setting up a Solid Waste Management Facility (SWMF) on our Saligao plateau above Salmona and the Salmona Spring. The appeal has been fixed for the purpose of interim relief of stay on plant construction on 16th January, 2015. *Grounds for the appeal:* Environment clearance has been granted prior to submission of the EIA report. The fact that environment clearnace was being issued prior to submission of the EIA study was stated in the EC order itself. Work order had already been issued several months prior to the environment clearance and work had commenced at site without completion of the EIA. Public consultation in respect of the project has not taken place, though required, not only as per the EIA notification 2006 but also as per the judgment of the Bombay High Court dated 30.7.2003. The project has been approved on Sy. No. 47 of Calangute village which is explicitly prohibited by High Court order dated 30.7.2003 (and confirmed by subsequent Court orders) on environmental grounds. The SWMF is approved in designated forest area without mandatory forest clearance. The appellants have alleged that the Terms of Reference relating to the EC had not been posted on the website of Dept. of Science and Technology (DST) as required under the law. The DST had not put up the EC on its website, the copy of the EC had to be procured under the RTI Act from the authorities. The appeal also sought the Tribunal's direction for recovery of the amounts spent on 38 individuals *(including 3 from Saligao!)* who had been taken by the Goa government to Europe to inspect garbage management plants there. The appeal stated that none of the persons were experts in garbage management. Appellants are vitally concerned about this SWMF, having themselves approached the Hon'ble High Court more than a decade ago to halt the garbage disposal on the Saligao plateau. The indiscriminate dumping of garbage of the plant has already polluted the Salmona Spring and village wells. The Saligao Civic & Consumer Cell and other Saligaokars who daily suffer from and battle the ill-effects of the garbage dump on our hill, continue to seek your solidarity and support. ********************* -- ................................................................ there *is* *anOTHERgoa at:* *<https://www.facebook.com/mario.mascarenhas.967 <https://www.facebook.com/mario.mascarenhas.967>>,<https://www.facebook.com/goa.garbage.struggle <https://www.facebook.com/goa.garbage.struggle>>,*<http://www.an*OTHER* goa.blogspot.in <http://www.anothergoa.blogspot.in/>>, <http://www.saligao.org>, <http://www.youtube.com/anothergoa> ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' muriel & mario, c/o FULKAR, 6/22, sonarbhatt, saligao. bardez. goa. 403511. tel: *0832.2409999* / 9405950605 <anothergoa AT gmail.com> ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
