MMC’s waste management woes worsen, to rush to CM for ‘urgent’ solution

Team Herald

MARGAO: The Margao Municipal Council (MMC) is facing another roadblock when it comes to handling its garbage problems and has now decided to rush to the Chief Minister to seek a solution for the same. 

Fomento Green, the concessionaire of the Sonsoddo waste treatment plant has informed the court and MMC that the space for the waste on the bed of the plant, which they call ‘excluded’ , has been exhausted and that there is no way, more waste can enter the plant. Fomento Green has also reportedly submitted a proposal to hand over the Sonsoddo plant to either MMC or Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC) for operations, provided the bills raised by them are cleared.

At the council meeting, the councillors discussed the situation where it was resolved to take the matter up with the CM. MMC Chairperson Pooja Naik informed the council that the size of garbage inside the plant had reached alarming levels and that that is no more space left to store daily waste. 

Councillor Arthur D’silva, who was the then MMC Chairperson when the plant began functioning on a trial basis, said, “Did MMC do any study of the concession agreement that was signed between Fomento Green and MMC? Do you have any idea that the plant has no completion certificate from MMC and is still operating on a trial basis? Who decided to go into arbitration with the concessionaire?” 

Since the matter is sub-judice, MMC didn’t respond to any of the queries of the councillors but have expressed hope that a solution can be found after consulting the CM. 

MMC Chief Officer Ajit Panchwadkar opined that MMC is entitled to know what is happening to the waste they are sending to the Sonsoddo plant given that they are paying Rs. 1 lakh per day to Fomento Green from August 2019.

However, it appears that MMC’s have hit a dead-end, as the dump has been sealed by the authorities and there is no landfill site. Currently, MMC collects minimum of 60 tonnes of garbage per day. 

Meanwhile, the CO informed that Fomento Green has submitted a proposal to hand over the Sonsoddo plant to either MMC or GWMC for operations, provided the bills raised by them are cleared.