l In the absence of an incinerator, discarded syringes and other medical waste end up in the nullah
SANTOSH NAIK / PONDA
Once considered the main supply of potable water, the 12-km Ponda nullah which passes through Ponda town and four villages has turned into a dumping site for all kinds of garbage, waste and sewage.
While there have been demands for joint efforts by the Ponda Municipal council (PMC) and affected panchayats to ensure the cleanliness of the nullah; hoteliers, traders, establishments and locals are also being blamed for polluting the nullah, unmindful to the consequences.
The Ponda nullah, which passes through Bethora, Curti, Ponda town, Kavlem and Bandora, before flowing into the Zuari River, was the lifeline for people in these areas, as they would depend on the water for drinking, cleaning and irrigation purposes.
“The Ponda nullah is heavily polluted with all kinds of waste and authorities need to take strict action against those dumping waste into the nullah. After all, smaller nullahs are connected to this main Ponda nullah,” says Ponda-based social worker, Rohidas Shirodkar.
According to a vendor, Gurudas Dumal, garbage as well as vegetable and animal waste is being dumped into the nullah in the Ponda municipal market area.
Shiv Sena activist, Narendra Matkar, has also demanded strict action against those vendors who are dumping vegetables, fruit and animal waste into the nullah. “The stench due to this pollution is unbearable at the entrance to the Ponda market. Some hoteliers also release their waste into nullah. In the absence of an incinerator in Ponda to dispose off medical waste, discarded hospital items like syringes and other medical waste also end up in the nullah,” said Matkar.
“Farmers have frequently found discarded syringes in their fields and with the amount of contamination in the nullah, they have been reluctant to pursue farming activity, especially in Bandora-Kavlem,” he added.
Shirodkar has claimed that the four panchayats and municipal council should work together to clean the nullah throughout the year.
“Authorities should also stop houses and commercial establishments from releasing their waste into the nullah,” said Shirodkar.
When contacted, Ponda MLA Lavoo Mamledar insisted that while PMC has been collecting door-to-door garbage and has been segregating dry and wet waste, the people located along the Ponda nullah have the responsibility to keep it clean.
“The people should hand over their waste to the PMC instead of mindlessly throwing it into the nullah,” said Mamledar.
According to reports, the PMC is learnt to have asked the Water Resource Department (WRD) to de-silt the nullah.
