the goan I network
MARGAO
A day after the public meeting, angry Curtorim villagers led by Sarpanch Rui Menezes stopped garbage laden trucks of the Margao Municipal Council from proceeding to the Sonsodo waste treatment plant on grounds they were transporting unsegregated waste.
The episode left the Margao Municipal Council in a tight spot, as the garbage-laden trucks, which were turned away from the site by the villagers, had no option but to return and park near the municipal garage at the Old Market.
While the civic body managed to unload waste from three vehicles at the site taking advantage of the absence of the villagers, the trucks were later stopped on the road from returning back to the city late Monday evening.
Even as the stalemate between the MMC staff and the villagers continued for some time, Director of Municipal Administration Dr Tariq Thomas along with Deputy Collector Uday Prabhudesai and DySP Serafino Dias rushed to the site to avert any law and order problem.
Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco, ZP member Moreno Rebello, panch member Simon Barretto questioned the authorities how can the MMC dump unsegregated waste at Sonsodo in violation of the solid waste management rules.
Moreno, in particular, pointed out that the MMC should be booked for rampant violation of the solid waste management rules, which bar dumping of unsegregated waste at the waste treatment plant.
Dr Thomas, however, assured the villagers that he would get in touch with the Director of Panchayats and the MMC to work out a permanent solution to the
dumping of unsegregated waste at Sonsodo.
“Right now, our focus is on capping the fire and smoke. The situation at the site has seen a marked difference now. Once we manage to cap the fire and smoke at the site, we can call a joint meeting between the village panchayats and the MMC to work out a solution,” Dr Thomas told Moreno and the villagers.
The villagers, however, insisted that they will continue to stop the MMC garbage laden trucks from entering the dump since transporting unsegregated waste is in clear violation of the solid waste management rules.
