PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Wednesday directed the Margao Municipal Council to make the Bio-methanation plant operational within the next 15 days, after obtaining the necessary consent to operate from the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB).
While hearing the public interest litigation (PIL) writ petition filed by Citizens for Sonsoddo through its secretary Roque Mascarenhas and another, the Court observed that the Margao municipality was supposed to make the bio-methanation plant operational as per its earlier order on December 5, last year.
Concerning the status of the remediation of legacy waste, the petitioner’s lawyer Om D’Costa stated that this work is going on at the expected pace. He said that the balance Refused Derived Fuel (RDF) of about 20,000 cu m, is properly stored and covered by tarpaulin.
However, AG Pangam pointed out that what was stacked at the site was no longer a legacy waste, but the RDF which was only 15,000 cub m. He added that steps will be taken to complete its transportation before December this year.
The Court stated that the authorities must complete the remediation as per the schedule.
With regards to the construction of a retaining wall on the western boundary, the MMC counsel Adv S Padiyar assured the Court that the work could not be completed due to difficulties and that the contractor had been told to complete the work by March 7, this year. Regarding the issue of bio-medical waste lying at the site, the Court was informed that it was not bio-medical waste, but sanitary waste and that a contractor has been engaged to remove and transfer it to the Kundaim site.
The matter has been posted for further hearing on February 20.
