MARGAO, JUNE 21
What was feared all along has come true. A small portion of the tarpaulin spread on the Sonsodo dumping yard as part of the exercise to cap the site reportedly caught fire Saturday night.
The incident brought to the fore the question why the Civic body had to rush with the capping exercise when it was evident that fire and smoke was billowing from the dumping site.
In fact, the Civic body had initially agreed upon to cap the site after a couple of heavy showers. But, Chief Officer Y B Tawde later directed the contractor to begin the capping operation despite the delay in the arrival of the monsoons.
Incidentally, Fatorda MLA Damu Naik, who had inspected the Sonsodo site last week, had instructed the Civic officials to go slow in the capping operations on grounds that smoke was still billowing from the site.
Herald understands that fire spread to the area covered by the Tarpaulin on late Saturday evening, but alert workers deployed at the site prevented any major damage.
But, sources in the know said a portion of the material was burnt down by the fire, indicating that fire is still raging underneath the dumpyard.
