Team Herald
Mapusa: Believe it or not ! There are over 80 scrapyards operating illegally in the Bardez taluka and out of these, almost 55 fall within the jurisdiction of the Colvale panchayat while the others including those at Karaswada fall come under the Mapusa municipality.
The recent incident of fire at Colvale in which four scrapyards were gutted and the fire force had tough time battling the inferno has raised major safety concerns over these illegally operating scrapyards in the middle of residential and congested areas where it is just difficult for the fire brigade and ambulance to enter.
While on one hand, the State especially the Bardez taluka is reeling under major water shortage crisis, on the other, the fire force had to use almost 3.50 lakh litres of water to douse off the fierce blazes.
Locals alleged that these illegal scrapyards operate brazenly as they have political blessings while the authorities look the other way.
Sources stated that most of these scrapyards are located on comunidade, government and agricultural lands.
Other then Colvale and Mapusa, such scrapyards have also mushroomed in Porvorim, Socorro, Sangolda, Bastora, Guirim and other parts of the Bardez taluka.
“ It’s questionable how these scarpyard owners encroach on thousands of square metres of land and transact business under the very nose of the authorities. These scarpyards not only operate illegally but also damage the environment. The authorities should learn lessons from the Colvale incident and start initiating action against the illegalities,” Prakash Naik, a local said.
“The authorities have completely failed to crack the whip against them. These scarpyards also cause damage to the environment as they store and burn hazardous items,” another local said.
Ritesh Varkhandkar, local panch member said, “During our fortnightly meeting, we have resolved to inspect the scrapyards located in Colvale and impose penalities on the operators and have given them eight days time to clear the area. Some of the operators have managed to get a stay in the matter,” Varkhandkar said.
Varkhandkar further informed that some scrapyards in the Colvale panchayat jurisdiction have even got house numbers which are being misused. I have also put a proposal before the body to revoke their house numbers in such cases. The government should also inquire into this matter and give a free hand to the panchayats to initiate action against the illegalities,” he said.
