JULIO DSILVA
julio@herald-goa.com
Emergence of a new mound of mixed garbage at Sonsoddo after the government spent over Rs 10 crore to reduce the earlier mound by 20 per cent by using bio-remediation is now making the authorities think of different approach to tackle the perennial Sonsoddo garbage dump site.
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar during his visit to Margao recently had expressed serious reservations about restarting the bio-remediation process which was actually supposed to start in September 2017 after the monsoons ended.
“What is the point if another mound of mixed garbage emerges,” he quipped while promising to discuss the matter with Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai and the Margao Municipal Council.
Fomento Green that has the responsibility of dealing with the garbage from Margao is presently handicapped as their man who was looking after this project is grievously ill and nobody else has been given charge of the project.
The mixed garbage that is being delivered to Sonsoddo appears to be the main cause of the mess as there is a substantial amount of reject that is dumped outside. On an average nearly 50 tonnes of mixed garbage is brought to Sonsoddo every day and of this nearly 15 tonnes emerge as reject after the garbage is processed and this is the waste that is dumped in the open space and has emerged as yet another mount.
Margao Municipal Council has already started collecting segregated garbage in seven wards of Fatorda area. MMC Chief Officer Johnson Fernandes admitted that the council has failed in collection and transportation due to which mixed garbage is sent to Sonsoddo.
“We need dedicated vehicles for collection of wet and dry waste separately and we have proposed to purchase 8 rickshaws and one tempo and are waiting for Directorate of Municipal Administration’s approval,” he said adding that once these vehicles are purchased dry and wet waste will be collected separately.
Besides, the council is in the process of privatising door-to-door garbage collection and Fomento Green is likely to get the tender given the fact that the other bidder Kadri Constructions from Ponda is technically out of the race.
Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai disclosed that after discussing the Sonsoddo issue with Fomento Green he hoped a solution will work out this week.
“Last year we had used two screens, maybe we should use more this time and maybe the government will be able to provide more screens,” he said cautioning that things are still being discussed.
The TCP minister also suggested that the entire garbage dumps be transported elsewhere where the bio remediation could be done. “Maybe we could consider using the de-mineralised pits at the mining sites where no more minerals can be extracted to fill them up with the treated waste,” he said.
“I have asked Fomento Green to give us a presentation of what exactly they propose to do and how the garbage dump can be cleared,” said Vijai recalling that the company had volunteered to take up this task.
