Khandepar locals, panchas stop trucks carrying waste
TEAM HERALD
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PONDA: Residents from Khandepar-Ponda including panchayat members on Sunday stopped about seven trucks carrying waste that was reportedly used in land-filling activity to construct an approach road to the proposed four-lane bridge at Khandepar.
According to sources, waste from Bond-Baag, the abandoned garbage site of Ponda Municipal Council (PMC), was used for the land filling activity at Khandepar. PMC had planned to set up garbage treatment plant after clearing tonnes of garbage from Bond-Baag which was abandoned a couple of years ago due to protest from the villagers.
According to the villagers, the incident came to light when some villagers saw loads of plastic waste strewn at the site. On Sunday, villagers along with ward Panch Sandip Khandeparkar, Deputy Sarpanch Dyaneshwar Naik, Panchas Supriya Gaude and Sagun Naik and former sarpanch John Periera stopped the activity and demanded immediate removal of the plastic waste.
“This is totally unacceptable. How can the government make use of plastic waste to fill the land to construct approach road? I request the PWD to immediately remove the waste dumped in our village and only use mud to construct the approach road,” said Panch Khandeparkar.
“I am given to understand that since the last two days several truck loads of plastic have been dumped to fill the area,” he said.
Incidentally, the panchayat seems to be unaware of the project and demanded that government should inform the panchayat before undertaking any such developmental activities.
“Our panchayat is unaware of the work undertaken by the government. Villagers informed us that some trucks were dumping plastic waste to construct approach road. This is wrong and the waste must be removed,” said Deputy Sarpanch Naik.
Khandeparkar said it was the duty of the government to inform the panchayat about the ongoing work. “Panchayat NOC is not required for PWD to undertake road works, but the panchayat should have been informed. If plastic waste is not removed, then in future apart from environment, it will also adversely affect health of the residents.”
Ponda Police later attached the seven trucks and is investigating the case.
