VELIM: What’s upsetting the entire village of Sao Jose De Areal is that they are forced to suffer for no fault of theirs and that their pleas and complaints against the alleged illegal scrap yards and now the root cause for the spread of dengue, has fallen on deaf years.
As the toll of suspected dengue cases in this area rises to 40, and family and friends making routine trips to the hospitals these patients have been admitted in, the feeling of anger is palpable.
At the third meeting in as many weeks, the Directorate of Health Services has ordered for the immediate removal of all scrap materials lying outside the industrial estate. It may be recalled that on the day of the dengue breakout, the DHS officials along with the Sarpanch Julio Monteiro, had discovered empty barrels and tires that had collected water and proved to be major breeding sites for mosquitoes.
While the district administration along with the industrial development corporation is monitoring the situation, the locals have called on the complete ban of scrap yards in the village.
When contacted, Velim MLA said that that whatever scrap yards had been found to be operating illegally should be removed.
It may be recalled that in the first week of April, some of the 39 scrap yards were sealed on the instructions of Salcete Deputy Collector Ajit Panchwadkar. This action was initiated following the directions issued by the Goa State Pollution Control Board to seal the illegal scrap yards since they were operating without consent to operate. Currently the scrap yards have been given a chance to submit their replies on the charges against them.
Silva added that the stopping of illegal scrap yards operating from Sao Jose De Areal has been his top priority since getting elected to power and that he had been following up the matter right from the chief minister, district collector, and health department and pollution control board.
Sarpanch Monteiro said the government should take a firm decision on the matter and respect the demands of the people from the village who are opposing the presence of scrap yards in the village.
