Influential Roman Catholic Church expressed its opposition to setting up of a garbage treatment plant proposed near the historically significant Old Goa Church complex at Bainguinim near Panaji, Goa, on Sunday.
In a statement, the church said that many ancient structures including a Shiva temple, a church, a mutt and a school are located near the land being acquired for the proposed plant and the stink emanating out of the plant would make it difficult to pray at the nearby church.
"The proposed landfill and waste management site is just 500 metres away from the historic Shiva Temple of Bramhapuri, 700 metres from 'Khuris Milagr' (Church of the Miraculous Cross) and just 1.5 km from the Church Complex at Old Goa. Besides, an International Educational Institute, the 'Sunshine School' and the Mutt of "Shri Sadguru Narendra Maharaj Saunsthan" are just 200 metres away from the proposed landfill site," it said.
"With the stink around, will the atmosphere be conducive for worshippers of two religious traditions to pray? And for young students to genuinely profit from the educational facilities being offered to them?" it questioned.
The church cited a central notification to underline that landfill sites cannot be commissioned near places of important cultural, historical or religious interest.
It further cited a decision taken at an Assembly committee to assert that the proposed garbage plant should be abandoned. "The Committee decided that the waste dumping site at Bainguinim of Se Old Goa Panchayat be abandoned," it said.
( With inputs from ANI )