MARGAO: A group of concerned citizens in Margao strongly criticised the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) for its indiscriminate, unauthorised, and disorderly dumping of waste in the neighbouring village of Benaulim. Speaking to media persons on Saturday, the citizens demanded accountability for all expenses related to the waste dumping fiasco and subsequent removal, urging action against the Chief Officer and the Chairperson of MMC.
“The Council has to face this embarrassment primarily because the heads of the civic body are dancing to the tunes of the Margao MLA” remarked former MMC Chairperson Savio Coutinho, who was joined by Margao locals Snehal Onskar, Carlos Gracias, Iftiyaz Sayed, Loyola Rodrigues, Maria do Carmo Pereira, Mathin Carol, Aziz Shah, and others.
The group commended the people of Benaulim for standing up against the dumping and criticised Margao authorities for expecting villagers to remain silent observers to such nuisance.
Coutinho highlighted the dumping of hazardous, mercury-laden waste near the District Court, expressing sorrow over the irreversible damage caused by the Council’s irresponsible waste disposal. Referring to the Municipal Solid Waste (management and handling) by-laws 2020, he criticised the Council for adopting these laws only for the collection of sanitation fees, neglecting other crucial regulations.
Carlos Gracias claimed that citizens had offered economical assistance to the Council in waste management, but vested interests in waste management profits prevented citizen involvement, as it would expose the scam.
He stated their intention to approach the appropriate forum to seek the recovery of losses incurred by the Municipal treasury due to the unauthorised waste dumping.
