Team Herald
PONDA: The Ponda Municipal Council (PMC) has taken action against four illegal scrapyards in the city.
One of the illegal scrapyards, located in Varkhandem near the Hanuman Temple, was demolished after the court granted permission. Another scrapyard in the same area was also demolished last month.
Vishant Naik, the Municipal Engineer, explained the ongoing efforts to address the issue, saying, “The Council passed a resolution some time ago to clear illegal scrapyards in the city. While some have been demolished, others have approached the Court for relief. Recently, under Section 184, the Deputy Collector issued an order to demolish a scrapyard at Varkhandem. In accordance with this order, our team demolished a shed of the illegal scrapyard.”
The engineer further explained that the scrapyard operator had been given 15 days to clear the area. “The operator has been instructed to remove plastic material, bags, and other debris from the site and relocate them elsewhere,” he added.
PMC Chairperson Anand Naik also commented on the delayed action, saying, “The demolition was postponed because the scrapyard owner went to court. However, now that the court has issued an order to demolish the scrapyard, we are taking action.”
The chairperson went on to highlight the risks posed by the scrapyards, especially to local residents and traffic on nearby highways. “These scrapyards were a safety hazard for residents and for traffic on the highways. Therefore, we have taken steps to clear all four illegal scrapyards in the city,” he said.
This action follows concerns raised after a fire at Dhavalim scrapyard spread onto the highway, forcing authorities to divert traffic for two days. Since the incident, residents of Ponda Taluka have been demanding that scrapyards be relocated away from residential areas and placed in industrial zones to ensure the safety of the community.