FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2024
Team Herald
CALANGUTE: After growing opposition to the waste being brought from South Goa to the Solid Waste Management Facility (SWMF) in Saligao, Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC) managing director Levinson Martins assured that garbage from Margao, Mormugao and Ponda would not to be accepted at the facility in future.
A meeting in this regards was held on Monday evening at the Solid Waste Management Facility (SWMF) in Saligao in the presence of Calangute MLA Michael Lobo, Saligao MLA Kedar Naik and panchayat members from the coastal belt, with officials of GWMC and the Hindustan Waste Management company that operates the SWMF.
“Garbage from Margao, Mormugao and Ponda will not be accepted in future as demanded by the Saligao and Calangute MLAs. It will take some time, but it will surely be stopped. We have also assured the Saligao and Calangute MLAs that we will look into problems such as contamination of well water and foul smell coming in the evening,” Martins said.
Speaking to media persons, Lobo said three-day old wet waste is being brought from Mormugao to the SWMF, which stinks and creates a foul atmosphere all along the approach road.
“The approach roads are very narrow and are used by a large number of commuters because the Pilerne Industrial Estate is also located near the SWMF. When the garbage trucks arrive they create a foul smell. Bringing garbage like this is unethical and unviable,” he said.
The locals had recently stopped a garbage truck which was bringing wet waste from Margao when they found it spilling garbage and leachate on the road.
Saligao MLA Kedar Naik said the Saligao SWMF was supposed to only accept garbage from 27 panchayats in North Goa.
“The Saligao SWMF should not accept garbage from South Goa, else it will be overburdened and may break down if it starts accepting more and more garbage,” Naik said.
