MARGAO: The citizens of Margao on Friday condemned the Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC), Margao Municipal Council and all those involved in the haphazard and unscientific waste treatment process in the guise of bioremediation.
Savio Coutinho, Convenor of the Shadow Council for Margao, who visited the site in the vicinity of the District Sessions court, at Old Market, accused the authorities of dumping screened mixed garbage at the spot, claiming it was inert waste.
He has demanded clarification from the authorities whether the dumped garbage qualified as inert material and demanded test reports of the waste.
“We wish to draw the attention of the High Court to the manner in which its directions were misused, and shortcut methods were adopted in a bid to show the court that the work is in progress,” Coutinho stated.
He added that he received several complaints from the residents around the area that stretches from Ravindra Bhavan to the Old Market Circle and Madel Junction, about the unbearable stench, following which he visited the site, only to find mixed screened garbage being dumped there, in the guise of inert material.
“If this is inert material, then why does it emanate such an unbearable stench across a one- kilometre radius,” Coutinho questioned.
He said it does not make any sense transferring pollutants from one site to another, thereby permanently contaminating the groundwater table.
“Even if such material had to be dumped there, then specific guidelines to prevent contamination of the ground water have to be followed by laying an HDPE lining,” Coutinho pointed out.
The SCM said that they shall protest against this highly objectionable act on the part of the authorities and try to draw the attention of the court to the matter, to prevent further destruction of the environment in a bid to contain
the existing garbage disaster that the State is
reeling under. He demanded an explanation for this farce from Margao MLA Digamber Kamat, who recently visited the Sonsoddo dumpsite to inspect the so-called Bioremediation work underway there, as well as from Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai, in whose constituency the waste is being dumped.
