Team Herald

MARGAO: Citizens of Sirvodem-Navelim on Tuesday were shocked to find garbage and mud being dumped in a low-lying area which is meant to be left as an open space.

Speaking to reporters, citizens have urged the local MLA and councillor of the ward to take note of the issue and remove the garbage and rubble at the earliest. They fear that the dumping of garbage at the site will cause major health issues in the monsoon.

Savio Coutinho, former chairperson of the Margao Municipal Council said that nobody knows what was going on at the site and hoped it would not end up as an encroachment of the green space.

“This area is an open space of land where water logging is witnessed during the monsoon season. A few citizens called me expressing concern as they fear health issues in the near future, besides encroachment of the open space,” said Coutinho.

He said that the land is being misused for dumping and that it may be encroached for illegal activities.

Coutinho added that similar unauthorised land-filling has been witnessed in few areas within the Margao Municipality as well, to the chagrin of the locals.

A few citizens from the locality also expressed anger and demanded that the authorities intervene and stop the misuse of the open space.