Team Herald
PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Wednesday issued notices to the Margao Municipal Council, Fomento Green, Goa Waste Management Corporation and others in connection with a Public Interest Litigation on the removal of the Sonsoddo municipal waste dump.
When Anamika Gode, counsel for the petitioner NGO – Goa Foundation, brought to the notice of the court that despite Goa State Pollution Control Board’s directions, the MMC continues to dump non-segregated waste at the existing dump; the bench of Justices Mahes Sonak and Nutan Sardessai ordered the matter be placed on High Court Board next Wednesday.
Besides Goa Foundation, Citizens for Sonsoddo is also a petitioner in the matter while MMC, Fomento Green, Waste Management Services, Goa State Pollution Control Board, Goa Waste Management Corporation and Director of Municipal Administration are the respondents.
The petitioners have sought permanent removal of the Sonsoddo garbage waste dump claiming it poses grave threat to the health and the environment of residents in the vicinity.
As a result of mismanagement by MMC and Fomento, the PIL states that the dump was in flames from May 27 to June 7 causing immense air pollution.
“Despite solemn undertakings made before this Court and the obvious dangers that the dump poses, the respondents have once again resumed – without shame and without accountability – the dumping of mixed waste on the hazardous dumpsite. Such dumping is in open violation and contempt of the Municipal Solid Waste Rules, 2016, directions issued by the Pollution Control Board and this Court’s orders,” reads the petition.
