PONDA
The controversial dumping of garbage at Keriye-Khandepar has led to a revival of frosty relations between Curti-Khandepar panchayat and Ponda Municipal Council (PMC).
Local BJP leader and Curti-Khandepar Panch Sandeep Khandeparkar has now accused PMC of violating a High Court order regarding the dumping of garbage at Keriye-Khandepar.
On Tuesday, representatives of Curti-Khandepar panchayat and PMC jointly inspected the Keriye site where PMC dumps garbage, and both local bodies have appealed to each other for support in garbage treatment.
“It is evident that PMC is directly dumping garbage at Keriye and not taking any measures for its treatment. This is in clear violation of a court order. We will initiate legal action against them and will write to the pollution control board,” claimed Khandeparkar.
It may be recalled that PMC had said that the high court had approved the site at Keriye-Khandepar as a waste treatment site as well as a landfill site for the town of Ponda, besides treating similar waste from the village of Curti-Khandepar.
However, stiff opposition from locals of Curti-Khandepar had forced PMC to stop dumping of garbage at the site in 2013 and 2014.
Tensions between the two local bodies resurfaced after PMC recently started the dumping at the site.
Speaking to news persons at the site, Curti-Khandepar Sarpanch Deepa Naik said they had appealed to the Council to convene a joint inspection at the site, after the issue was raised by locals at a gram sabha.
“Villagers have been complaining of a rise in the numbers of flies and strong odor at the site. Hence, we had requested for a joint inspection. We found that PMC is dumping garbage and not taking necessary care to treat the garbage. They should support us by treating their garbage properly,” said Naik.
“We will decide about the action to be taken against PMC, if the foul smell continues hang over the area,” warned the sarpanch.
When contacted, PMC Chief Officer Johnson Fernandes said that the joint inspection was conducted on the request of the panchayat.
“We are taking care to segregate garbage, and the panchayat should cooperate with us to address the problems,” said Fernandes.
