MARGAO: The citizens of São José de Areal are reeling from shock and concern after a massive quantity of garbage was found dumped within their village panchayat office premises. This incident has sparked fears that the area might turn into another Sonsoddo dump site, notorious for waste mismanagement in the area.
Investigations revealed that the dry waste, which includes a significant amount of plastic, was meant to be collected by the Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC). However, due to a communication lapse, the village panchayat failed to notify the corporation to pick up the waste, leading to the unsightly accumulation of garbage around the panchayat ghar.
Fredy Travaso, a local social activist, expressed his dismay over the situation, demanding immediate action to clear the rotting waste. He pointed out the potential hazards of the garbage, especially with the impending monsoon season. “We were shocked to see the huge quantity of garbage being dumped in the premises of the panchayat. This garbage will surely result in major problems if not cleared before the start of the monsoon season,” Travaso said.
Panch member Joyce Dias explained that the panchayat conducts garbage collection drives twice a month. Post-collection, the waste is supposed to be picked up by the GWMC for processing. “Presently, the garbage is lying unattended at the site, resulting in a mess due to the lack of proper coordination between the authorities and the panchayat. Those given responsibilities, including the Sarpanch, were supposed to inform the authorities to collect the waste and follow up at regular intervals, which they failed to do,” she stated.
Efforts to reach Sarpanch Linda Fernandes for comment were unsuccessful as her phone was unreachable.
The community is now calling for urgent measures to address the situation, emphasising the importance of timely waste management to protect the environment and public health.
