Submit bar chart to monitor work progress at Sonsodo: HC
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, APRIL 1
It’s April and there’s no sign of a major changes at the Sonsodo garbage dump yard, even as the High Court has directed Fomento to submit a bar chart to monitor the progress of work at the dumping site.
Neither the draft concession agreement is ready for signing between the civic body and Fomento nor has the company so far mobilized heavy machinery at the site to commence excavation and screening of existing waste lying at the dump yard.
When Chairperson Savio Coutinho was contacted on the status of the garbage dumping site, he said the draft concession agreement which was dispatched for vetting has not yet come in. “It’s only after the draft concession agreement is vetted then the same will be placed before the Council meeting for ratification by the civic body”, he said.
Admitting that not much progress has been achieved at the Sonsodo dump yard, Coutinho said the High Court has now asked Fomento to submit a bar chart and the schedule of work the company proposes to undertake at the site.
“I am told by my office staff that the High Court has asked Fomento to submit a bar chart by next week and the work the company intends to carry out at the site”, he added.
When asked whether the civic body or Fomento would take responsibility for capping the dumping site with tarpaulin this coming monsoons, the MMC Chairperson categorically said that since Fomento has taken over the site, the responsibility lies on the company to cap the site with tarpaulin.
Both the Margao Municipal Council and Fomento had been at loggerheads over the signing of the concession agreement. While Fomento all along insisted that the civic body first sign the concession agreement before commencing work at the site, the Margao Municipal Chairperson harped on the commencement of screening and segregation work at the site on grounds that the office procedure would cause delay in signing the agreement.
Incidentally, Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat who heads the high-powered committee on Sonsodo along with Urban Development Minister, he was scheduled to inspect the site on March 25 to take stock of the prevailing situation. While the intervening Assembly session prevented the duo from visiting Sonsodo, the high powered committee is yet to make its presence felt at the site till date, with the Chief Minister busy shunting between Goa and Mumbai in view of the political developments.
