l Junk and trash abandoned on the SAG ground outside the Nehru stadium pose a health hazard to the residents
l Dr Dalvi says the health centre has despatched a notice to the sports authorities to take care of the barrels dumped on the ground
l Stadium manager maintains that scrap will be auctioned
TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
It’s around five months since curtains came down on the Lusofonia Games in the State, but the junk and trash abandoned on the SAG sports ground outside the Nehru stadium has not only become an eyesore, but may as well pose a health hazard to the residents.
Last year, the stadium’s ageing chairs, which were dumped on the sports grounds after their replacement as part of the renovation of the Nehru stadium ahead of the Lusofonia Games, has been a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes. In fact, the chairs and other items dumped in a corner on the open ground had been a source of malaria and other vector-borne diseases that broke out in and around the stadium on the eve of the Lusofonia Games.
The authorities seem to have not learnt the bitter lesson yet, as evident by the fact that the scrap is yet to be lifted away or disposed from the ground. A visit to the spot revealed that abandoned drums could be a source for mosquito breeding this time round if not disposed or turned upside down. Scrap, broken chairs, wires, angles et al lay dumped on the SAG ground, giving the area an ugly look.
When Herald brought this to the notice of the Margao Urban Health Officer Dr Sanjay Dalvi, he said the health centre has already despatched a notice to the sports authorities to take care of the barrels dumped on the ground. “We have requested the sports authorities to turn the drums upside down so that water does not get accumulated inside and offer room for mosquitoes to breed in”, Dr Dalvi said.
When contacted, Nehru Stadium manager, Gurudas Vernekar maintained that the department has decided to auction the scrap material dumped on the ground. He, however, could not exactly state when the auction will take place nor could he state when his staff will take care of the abandoned drums.
The junk stands dumped a metre close to the joggers track, with many a citizen wondering why the trash has been dumped outside while giving a new look to the stadium.
