The garbage dumpyard at Sonsoddo is a curse to Margao town. In the olden days, Sonsoddo was far off from town limits and the dumpyard was decided there by authorities then. With the exponential growth of Margao, Sonsoddo falls right within the town limits, where massive infrastructure developments have come up around. Residential colonies, shopping complexes and a school exist around the dumpyard. Three years and above age group tiny tots are spending almost 4 to 5 hours a day in such a polluted, stinking air with lots of poisonous gases. The stinking smell of this dumpyard is spreading almost two kms around in all directions. The situation is worst during the beginning of the monsoon.
Now the important question is how have authorities given construction licences and permissions to these colonies and school by taking risk of human lives. Has the pollution control board no role in restricting these permissions? Garbage yard was existing there for years and authorities have no futuristic sense while permitting colonies and schools, around so close to the dumpyard. Who are at fault, the authorities or the then existing government? Police acts and motor vehicle acts are strongly implemented in the State to challan the public, and why not implement town planning act strictly. Is it because the lobby is throwing huge funds into the construction activity? As a temporary solution, once the garbage collected by Municipality vehicles is dumped on the site certain disinfectants and chemicals be sprayed over it using a drone so that the decaying smell does not spread in the air.
Segregation of this waste is next to impossible at the dumpyard as the dumped garbage is in an uncontrollable state. Practically what remains in the dumpyard for a longer duration is the dry waste. Wet material gets decomposed and vanishes over a period of time. While decomposing it emits a lot of stinking smell. What is smell? It is nothing but the molecules or the micro particles of decayed material that get deposited on our nasal membrane having sensory nerves; but not an imaginary sensation.
It is very strange that before the monsoon every year there are episodes of accidental fire at Sonsoddo which actually reduces the quantity of garbage at the site but lots of poisonous gases are released by burning of waste. Can this accidental fire accommodate more and more waste for many more years? Dumpyard is already swollen to an extent that the garbage can spread on the main road at any time. What could be a permanent solution for this prolonged issue?
Authorities and politicians are working on the dumpyard issues to eyewash the public by installing garbage processing plants, which have no salt in solving the pollution issues. The problems are the same, without any solutions to the stinking smell and poisonous gases damaging human life. The government has no ability to move in the right direction by consulting planning and the technical experts. How garbage issues are being handled in thousands of other cities in India?
The garbage from Panjim used to be disposed off almost 15 to 16 kms away in the deep forest in a neighbouring village. Is it not high time for Margao to think of an alternate dumping location in a deep forest, low laying area at any remote place around Margao? Why nobody in power has this ability to think of a solution-based decision, rather than simply fooling around on the garbage issue?
A low-lying pocket is decided in a remote location, away from habitation which can be buried by filling soil after a few years. Transporting the garbage to a distant place may cost a little more but can be recovered by the authorities as garbage tax from bungalows housing colonies, restaurants, hotels and business organisations.
The dumpyard location should be in a remote place away from habitation. Authorities should not strictly permit any developments in minimum 5 kms radius of the site for the next few years. The place could be right on the top of any surrounding hillock where the stinking smell and poisonous gases can vanish in the upper layer of air only. When a large area is utilised, a dumpyard can be planned scientifically, for segregation with a conveyer belt, treatment plant, processing plant, etc, by consulting class one technologists and installed by experienced firms engaged in garbage management. Planning is the most essential parameter to sort out this issue as it is concerned with human life.
On the other hand awareness programmes should be conducted by BDO at root levels in housing colonies, restaurants, public dumpyard on roads for strictly disposing of wet and dry garbage separately. Wet garbage if collected could be utilised for compost manufacturing and dry waste can be segregated to generate recycling material like plastic paper, steel glass, etc. This is possible only if the public understands the difference between wet and dry garbage.
Govt will have a tough time implementing this civic responsibility at the root level. Most of the housing colonies in Margao and surrounding villages are already segregating dry and wet garbage generating compost and valuable scrap.
Any politician having strong abilities to locate a suitable remote piece of Government land in 15-20 kms vicinity and allot it for the Margao garbage dumpyard, will be the future hero of Margao Community. If not, the garbage issue will remain for years to come with more and more complications and health hazards that cannot be controlled in the next few years, much more severe than Covid Pandemic.
The present government has to decide on futuristic plans in the interest of Margao and neighbouring villages and allot a remote forest plot for the Margao garbage dumpyard which could be a landmark decision in the interest of the suffering public.
(The writer is an former teacher/businessman).
