the goan I network
MARGAO
That the government headed by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has given its stamp of approval for the bio-remediation of the Sonsodo site as against capping became evident when GSIDC was roped in to clear the waste in a phased manner and preserve the land in question for future use.
Town and Country Planning Minister, Vijai Sardesai inspected Sonsodo on Tuesday noon with GSIDC Managing Director Sanjit Rodrigues, Margao Municipal Chairperson Babita Prabhudesai, councillors and the contractor engaged in the bio-remediation of the Saligao dump, and gave his approval for GSIDC to begin work from April 1.
“The new government has decided to undertake at Sonsodo what the people of Margao and surrounding areas have been demanding for too long, i.e. scientific remediation of the site and save the land for future use,” Sardesai told the media after the inspection, adding that Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) had also come out clear against capping of the site and has favoured bio-remediation.
Seeking cooperation from all concerned in tackling the decades old waste problem, Vijai, however, made it clear that the exercise will not interfere with the ongoing operations at the waste treatment plant.
“Our mission is to get the existing waste removed from Sonsodo. The work has been entrusted to GSIDC and will commence within a week’s time from April 1,” he said, while saying that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has promised to tackle the Sonsodo waste on utmost priority.
GSIDC Managing Director Sanjit Rodrigues said the agency will carry out proper survey of the site to find out the volume of the dump, since the waste is compressed inside over the years.
“The whole exercise is to first reduce the hillock made of waste so that it is managed properly and check landslide and flow of leachate for the site,” Sanjit said.
He said the entire site will be cordoned off to facilitate work of sieving in a phased manner.
“Sieving of the waste will continue till the monsoon before the site is capped from June 1. When the site is uncovered around October, we will get dry waste. This method will cost the exchequer, but it offers a permanent and sustainable solution,” the GSIDC MD pointed out.
When asked to comment on waste segregation in the commercial capital, Sanjit said that Margao can also segregate the waste if the capital city can do the job. He, however, said the Margao Municipal Council should put a system in place to get the best results of segregation at source.
Parrikar to chair emergency HPCC meet today
MARGAO: An emergency meeting of the High Powered Coordination Committee (HPCC) on Sonsodo headed by the State Chief Minister has been convened on Wednesday to ratify the decision to engage Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) instead of GSUDA to execute bio-remediation of the Sonsodo waste.
CM Manohar Parrikar will chair the meeting and is expected to be attended by MLAs of Margao, Fatorda and Curtorim, besides the Urban Development Minister. Sources said the meeting has been called since it is reported that GSUDA had issued work order to a contractor on the bio-remediation of Sonsodo site before the new government decided to engage GSIDC to undertake the work.
Though GSUDA had issued the work order to the contractor, MMC officials wondered how GSUDA-appointed contractor can go ahead with the job when the host of conditions cited by the agency, including making available a land fill site, have not been acceptable to the civic body.
