CANDOLIM: The Candolim Residents and Consumer Forum visited the garbage plant at Saligao to ascertain whether the foul smell was emitting from the plant.
During their visit, the forum members learnt that the smell was coming from the dump outside the plant due to the remediation progress and the officials at the plant assured that the process would end by May-end before the monsoon sets in.
Earlier, they had also made written complaints to the Goa State Pollution Control Board and various other authorities stating that the foul smell from the garbage plant has become unbearable and that the authorities should find a solution for the same. “If not, epidemic would break out,” the warned.
Agnelo Baretto who was part of the delegation that visited the plant said that the dump outside the plant was being work segregated.
“They have promised that by the end of May they will finish the work of remediation. According to me, it does not look possible as it is a huge dump. An RTI reply, I was informed that the dump is 1,00,000 tonnes. I doubt they will be able to finish the work before the monsoon,” Baretto said.
Over 27 panchayats are disposing off their solid waste at Hindustan Waste Treatment Pvt Ltd. This plant was supposed to treat the garbage from Calangute and its surrounding areas. Today several villages from North Goa are sending in their garbage here although it does not have the capacity to treat it.
Another member of the Forum Roshan Mathias told Herald stench from the Saligao plant unbearable due to which they inspected the plant. “They cannot handle the existing waste coming to this plant and there is an attempt to increase the capacity for the sake of private stake holders,” he said.
He said that excess garbage is coming into the plant from everywhere due to political pressure and that recently, they had stopped taking garbage from other panchayats. “Many unregistered trucks are coming to the plant wait till 5.30 pm and if not taken they empty their waste into an open area near to the plant creating another dump,” Mathias said.
“As a forum we have extended support to help them in reducing the load on the plant by creating awareness on segregation and clearing of e-waste from the village. At the same time the solid waste management policy needs amendment and implementation,” he added.
