TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Just 10 days to go and Seraulim villagers are demanding to know whether the two waste dumps in their locality will be cleared off by August 15 as per Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s own deadline.
Armed with a Goa State Pollution Control Board’s inspection report, clearly stating that the activity prima facie appears to b a major health hazard, the villagers under the banner of Suravle Gaunkarancho Ekvott have demanded action against the waste dumps. And they were quick to recall the August 15 time-frame set by the Chief Minister to clear the village of the two waste dumps.
Says Rodney Almeida: “Initially, when the Chief Minister inspected the waste dumps, he was convinced of the health hazard and promised to clear the area of the waste. Again, when we met him at the District Collectorate, he promised us to clear the dumps by August 15. But now we are pained to see that nothing appears to be moving on the ground. The dumps still exist, and there seems no activity to tow away the waste.”
Almeida said just 10 days to go for the CM’s deadline to expire, and the villagers want the Chief Minister to honour the promise by directing the authorities concerned to stop the activity.
“The Goa State Pollution Control Board inspection report clearly states that prima facie the activity is a major health hazard. The GSPCB has also issued directions to health officials to initiate action under the Public Health Act, but nothing is happening,” he lamented.
