TEAM HERALD
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MARGAO: There seems to be no solution to the garbage woes affecting Navelim on the outskirts of Margao city.
While local MLA and Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado’s plea to the Margao Municipal Council to accept Navelim waste at the Sonsodo dumpyard has not found favour with the civic body, waste generated in the village finds its way along roadsides and water bodies.
Waste and garbage was found dumped at Mandopa, a part of Navelim village panchayat, with the local body lacking the infrastructure to tackle the waste problem. Local residents of Mandopa also complained that waste has found its way in the water nullah in the locality.
When contacted, Navelim Sarpanch Frank Fernandes said that the village is facing the problem of waste disposal in the absence of any disposal site or infrastructure. “We have engaged a contractor to take plastic waste and bottles,” he said.
A couple of months ago, the local MLA had initiated some measures to dispose of the waste in the village, but the temporary measure has failed to tackle the growing problem. To tide over the situation, Avertano had requested the MMC authorities to allow the Navelim Panchayat to dump waste at the Sonsodo treatment plant, but in vain.
In fact, the Fisheries Minister had even threatened to stop waste and sewage water from Margao from flowing into Navelim via the Kudchadkar nullah at the Salpem lake if the civic body does not allow Navelim waste at Sonsodo. “We have told the civic body that the Navelim panchayat is prepared to collect the waste and transport the same at Sonsodo. So far, the civic body has not responded to our plea in a positive manner. The people of Navelim will take a call how to go about the issue,” Avertano warned.
