Site visit requested to check Saligao Garbage Plant’s operation

Team Herald

SALIGAO: Recently, the Department of Science, Technology and Environment, Goa has requested the Managing Director of the Goa Waste Management Corporation, Sanjit Rodrigues to intimate them on a date on which a meeting with the Monitoring Committee and a site visit to the Saligao garbage plant can be carried out.

The Director of Goa Foundation, Dean D’Cruz, has reportedly made several written complaints to the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) over the last three months regarding the Saligao plant.

As a member of the High Court appointed Monitoring Committee, Dean had reportedly been visiting the Saligao plant and found out that it was not working to its capacity. During his visit to the plant on May 19 it was learnt that besides producing bio gas nothing else was working properly at this plant.

“The findings of the site inspection carried out in May revealed that inside the sorting shed they could see the difficult task of attempting to segregate various recyclable materials which were completely filthy. The baling machine was spewing out compressed bales of plastic and paper which were completely filthy and smelling. The quality of compost produced had very little nutritional value and mainly consisted of dry fibres, crushed glass and other inorganic particles,” said Dean.

His last complaint in regards to this plant was made in September. The concerned authority has finally intimated him that they have requested the Managing Director of the Goa Waste Management Corporation to arrange a meeting with the Monitoring Committee and a site visit to the Waste Management Plant at Saligao on a convenient date. He would have to fix a date and intimidate the office of the Department of Science, Technology and Environment.

While an activist from Candolim Roshan Mathias pointed out that is high time some concrete stand is taken in regards to this plant that seems to be failing as it is being mismanaged.

“The leachate from here flows down through the drains and enters the Nerul River. When there is no rain there is a lot of odour generated and could lead to epidemic as the air is not healthy. The polluted waste from the plant is seeping into the plateau and in the long run will pollute the water bodies in and around this area. Due to which the water in wells will also turn out to be non-potable,” said Roshan.