A solution still eludes the Sonsoddo garbage dump that has become a veritable mountain out of a molehill. The discussion on the subject in the Legislative Assembly that centred on the government’s future plans to handle and treat the Sonsoddo garbage dump ended with Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant assuring that he would chair a meeting of the high powered committee to resolve the issue. But, given the myriad views on the subject and the latest storm over whether it should be a single plant or seven bio-remediation plants, finding that solution will not be as easy as it should be.
The debate in the Assembly took a turn following the statement by Waste Management Minister Michael Lobo that Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC) has proposed to set up a 75 tonnes per day integrated waste management facility at Sonsoddo in line with the Saligao plant, instead of installation of proposed seven bio methanation plants of five tonnes, each. The minister’s explanation was that since the bio methanation plants ‘won’t work’ it was proposed to set up, within a year’s time, the facility similar to that of Saligao at Sonsoddo. This did not find favour with the opposition MLAs, who objected to the idea, with Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai pointing out that the decision had been taken without consulting the high powered committee members, and that Margao Municipal Council has already passed a resolution and approved Rs 47 crore from its funds, towards installation of seven plants. The other issue at Sonsoddo is of the legacy waste that was estimated to be 2,31,239.76 cubic meters of which 1,25,000 cubic meters has been remediated. Over a lakh cubic meters still remain.
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A week ago, in an in-depth article, Herald had pointed out how the local municipal council is facing a tri-corner fight to keep the Sonsoddo waste treatment functioning, as political fights keep the garbage dump a simmering issue with no solution in sight. Margao Municipal Council has had all its resources drained in attempting to set up the bio-methanation plants at the site while fighting an arbitration case before the tribunal with the company that was earlier managing the plant. As long as there are political games being played, the garbage issue will not end, not just at Sonsoddo, but elsewhere too.
Urgency in finding a solution to the Sonsoddo dump cannot be over stressed. Periodically the dumpsite sends out flaming reminders that it is being ignored, when fires spontaneously spark off. There have been fires that have lasted for days, with the smoke hanging over the surrounding area like a dense fog and the stench causing much discomfort to the residents. Past assertions of ‘we will remove the dump’ have not yielded results, as local politics does not help in discovering a way out from the quagmire of the dump. In the choice between a treatment plant and an open dumpsite, the vote should go to the former.
But, unless Sonsoddo is cleared, it will not inspire confidence in the people to say yes to garbage treatment plants in their areas. The Sonsoddo dump is a stark example of how garbage can turn into a menace if not treated on time. This has led to objections in other areas where treatment facilities have been proposed, including at Bainguinim, where a modern integrated solid waste management plant is set to come up. The Bainguinim plant has been in the pipeline for years, and has now had all hurdles cleared. If it needs to see the light of day, then the Sonsoddo dump has to be cleared, so that people are reassured that the government can indeed deliver.
