Saligao: The Director of Goa Foundation, Dean D’Cruz has threatened to approach court if the dumps outside the Solid Waste Management Plant in Saligao are not cleared with immediate effect and if the failing condition of the plant is not rectified at the earliest.
List of demands made by the Goa Foundation includes clearing the existing dumps, accepting only pre-sorted garbage, clear indication of villages bringing waste and separate access to the plant.
As a member of the high court appointed monitoring committee, Dean had been visiting the Saligao plant and found that it was not working to its capacity few months ago. He has also made several written complaints to the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) over the last few months.
“Initially there was just one dump outside the plant and now there are three. Officials from Hindustan Waste Treatment Private Limited (HWTPL) have assured to clear the dump within two months. The garbage from Aradi, Candolim dump that was shifted outside the compound of the treatment plant is stinking. Taking fresh garbage and putting it outside is a criminal act,” said Dean.
During the meeting they admitted that garbage is coming into the plant from Panaji and the casinos.
“There is no control over the running of this plant. Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF)-waste is supposed to be 10 percent of the garbage but in this case it is 30 percent. They are unable to furnish details of the cement plants the RDF is being sent to. We do not even know if it is going anywhere. How can they expand the plants at this rate?” questioned Dean.
The students of Lourdes Convent High School, Saligao and St. Theresa’s High School, Candolim are suffering due to the stink. The school management is forced to close the windows of the classrooms and the students cannot even enjoy fresh air.
