PANJIM: Disposing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) writ petition filed by Citizens for Sonsoddo and the NGO Goa Foundation, the High Court of Bombay at Goa has directed the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) to ensure that a new transformer is installed at the Sonsoddo site within next three months.
The Division Bench comprising Justice M S Sonak and Justice Valmiki SA Menezes directed the Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC) to complete the construction of the sanitary landfill at the Sonsoddo site within next six months.
The GWMC has been directed to complete the retaining wall construction along the plot boundary at Sonsoddo before June 30.
“The Sewerage and Infrastructure Development Corporations of Goa must complete the work to extend the sewerage line to Sonsoddo within six months from the date of order to facilitate the disposal of sewage and treated leachate. The Margao Municipal Council, GMWC, and the Sewerage and Infrastructure Development Corporation of Goa must file compliance or status affidavits by July 5, 2024,” the order said.
“In so far as the balance work, like repairs to various types of equipment or establishments of 15 TPD bio-methanation at the Sonsoddo site or making operational 5 TPD bio-methanation plants near the SGPDA market at Margao is concerned, the Advocate General Devidas Pangam stated that the high-powered committee would meet and take a decision on these issues.
“We expect the committee to address these issues as soon as possible and issue necessary directions to the GWMC and the Margao Municipal Council. The Margao Municipal Council must file a status report or affidavit on this issue by July 5, 2024,” the court said.
During the hearing, Advocate General Pangam informed the Court that the Sonsoddo issue concerning pollution, health hazards, and garbage was resolved for the time being.
He mentioned that there was minimal unprocessed garbage remaining at the Sonsoddo dump site, which would be cleared shortly. The refused derived fuel (RDF) generated through garbage processing would stay at the site until transported to a cement factory.
Pangam also disclosed plans for constructing a retaining wall at the site by June 30 this year. Additionally, he stated that the High Powered Committee (HPC) under Chief Minister Pramod Sawant would determine how to utilise the shed and other cleared areas.
During the previous hearing, the GWMC had submitted a status report, following which the Court had instructed the Margao Municipal Council to respond to the status report, including specifying the time-line for completing the remaining works at the Sonsoddo site.
