MARGAO: Yet another fire broke out inside the shed of the old waste treatment plant at the Sonsoddo dump yard, just as the High Court hearing regarding waste management at the site approaches. This incident has prompted citizens to question if these fires are strategically timed to coincide with the court proceedings.
Early on Thursday morning, fire and emergency services were alerted about flames within the old treatment plant. Firefighters swiftly responded to the call, but accessing the
shed proved to be a challenging task due to the fire erupting amidst the massive piles of garbage accumulated inside.
Officials from the Margao Municipal Council, including the Chief Officer, arrived at the scene to assess the situation. The Sonsoddo dump yard has witnessed a series of fires over the past few months, and the lack of adequate fire fighting facilities has made it difficult for firemen to extinguish these blazes effectively.
Savio Coutinho, former Chairperson of MMC, demanded an inquiry into the recurring fires at Sonsoddo. He criticised the Council, alleging that the fires might be orchestrated to pressure the High Court into approving their questionable schemes, funded by the public exchequer.
Coutinho further slammed the MMC’s handling of waste management issues at Sonsoddo, stating that promised timelines have not been met and essential equipment such as fire hydrants, have not been installed yet. He also highlighted the repeated calls for the in-house handling of accumulated waste at a lower cost.
“We have even volunteered to assist the Council without any benefits in return. The Council, however, is desperate in going for a tender for remediation for the third time after spending over Rs 4.50 crore on the previous two jobs of remediation of accumulated waste inside the shed,” Coutinho added.