FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 2024
Team Herald
MARGAO: The havoc caused due to the heavy rain has raised serious questions about the safety of the workers engaged in segregation of waste inside the old waste treatment plant at Sonsodo, since on Thursday rain water was seen gushing inside the plant.
Presently, thousands of tonnes of waste dumped inside the old plant is exposed to rain and hence workers have expressed fear that the remaining part of the plinth wall may collapse any moment resulting in a major disaster.
A visit at the site revealed that nearly 20 workers are engaged in segregating the day today waste which is being dumped inside the old plant. The plinth wall on the other side of the plant has already collapsed and is yet to be re-constructed.
Thursday’s rain water which flowed inside the plant caused more damage to the remaining part of the plinth wall.
Speaking to O Heraldo, workers at the site requesting anonymity expressed fear of a major disaster this monsoon, if adequte safety measures are not taken at the earliest. They also informed that nothing much has been done with regard to the shed of the old treatment plant, more specifically on that part of the collapsed plinth wall on the other side of the plant.
"Working here has become a danger and it will be more risky during the monsoon. Heavy rains may create major hardships in moving ahead with the works", workers stated. Reacting on the issue Rolando Fernandes, a Borda resident said that after incidents of fires there is possibility that the shed of the old plant may come down completely.
"The Margao Municipal Council after being pulled up by the High Court has managed to resolve the Sonsodo issue to a large extent, however, the pathetic conditions of the old plant has become a serious issue now", he stated.
Fernandes further said that there were incidents pertaining to the collapse of the wall of the plant which has further weakened the structure of the shed. And now exposed to rain, disaster may not be far away.
He further urged the civic body to at least provide some sort of safety measures to those labourers working inside the old plant so that they are safe.
