-- Samir Umarye BICHOLIM : The Bicholim Municipal Council today, through an urgent meeting unanimously decided not to allow the Corporation of City of Panjim (CCP) to dump its waste at the Lakherem Garbage treatment plant in Bicholim.
It may be stated that after the CCP is facing serious problem of garbage treatment in the wake of its tiff with the Taleigao village panchayat. Following the inability to solve the problem the CCP Mayor, Yotin Parekh had sought the help of the urban Development Minister, Joaquim Alemao. The minister inturn had asked the Municipal officers from Bicholim to given solve the problem by diverting the garbage to Bicholim for some days. In view of this the BMC today convened a special meeting and it was decided to oppose the move of the government and make the Lakheram garbage treatment plant available to garbage from other talukas. BMC chairperson, Anisha Vernekar; Vice chairman, Shashikant Naik Harlankar, councillors, Kamlakant Teli, Kamalesh Teli, Narayan Betkikar, Riyaz Beigh, Premanand Mayekar, Ajit Birje, Anita Harmalkar along with the MLA, Rajesh Patnekar were present for the meeting. The councillor, Narayan Betkikar opposed the move and stated that they are answerable to the people. "After the news about the garbage being shifted from Panjim to Bicholim flashed in some of the newspapers the people started calling us and strongly opposing the move of the government" Betkikar said "it is the problem of the capital and they should have the ability to solve their own problem." The BMC Vice chairman, Shashikant Naik Harlankar also supported the issue and told that Lakherem plant is for the people of Bicholim "Just because the government has sanctioned us the plant it doest mean that they can force us to use it the way they want" Shashikant told "if this happens not only we but the villagers from Lakherem itself will oppose it." He also made the council aware that if this happens there are likely chances that the people from Lakherem might not even give them chance to treat their own garbage. "When the plant was constructed there was some opposition and last year when a private truck tried from Mapusa tried to dump its garbage the alert locals had damaged the vehicle" Shashikant recalled "the move of the CCP would prove costly not only for them but also for BMC as the government cannot do anything without the support of the masses." Later speaking to media persons Bicholim MLA, Rajesh Patnekar told that they have decided to oppose the move of the government to forcebly dump the garbage of Panjim on Bicholim. "We have unanimously decided to oppose the move of the government and if this happens the people would come on streets" Patnekar warned "we have decided to meet the CM and the urban development minister to convey our decision."
