PANAJI
The Goa Solid Waste Management Corporation told the Bombay High Court at Goa that more than 65% of the remediation work on the Sonsodo garbage dump has been completed and will now only resume in October after the monsoon.
Hearing the petition filed by the Citizens for Sonsodo, the High Court expressed satisfaction with the progress of the work but asked to ensure that the work begins soon after the monsoons and is completed as soon as possible.
“On perusal of the status report, we appreciate the difficulties expressed. The report points out that 65% of the works of remediation are already completed and for reasons primarily arising due to the pandemic, there is delay in completion of balanced remediation of works,” the High Court observed.
The status report also informed the High Court that presently the balance waste dump and RDF dump at Sonsodo is covered with tarpaulin and Remediation works will be resumed after the monsoons i.e. October, 2021.
With regard to the biomedical waste at the site, the Margao Municipal Council told the Court that the medical waste which was stacked at Sonsodo has already been cleared.
The matter has now been posted for November 15 by which date the Solid Waste Corporation is expected to file a fresh status report.
“Consistent with the aforesaid statement, we direct that all necessary measures be taken to see that the balance waste dump and RDF dump does not cause any additional environmental pollution at the site. Further, we direct that the remediation works must now commence in October 2021 so much so that the entire work is completed at the earliest,” a High Court bench of Justices MS Sonak and MS Jawalkar, said.
