the goan I network
MARGAO
Post-fire incident at Sonsodo and with segregation of waste at source in the commercial still a far cry, the authorities on Friday have insisted on decentralisation of waste sorting and have suggested to the Margao Municipal Council to explore the possibility of taking
sheds at the Margao industrial estate on hire for baling of plastic waste.
As the host of authorities including Director of Municipal Administration Dr Tariq Thomas, Managing Director of Solid Waste Management Corporation, Levinson Martins and others saw for themselves how dry and plastic waste has choked the waste treatment plant at Sonsodo, they told Margao Municipal Council Chairperson Babita Prabhudesai and Chief Officer Sidhivinayak Naik to scout for space in the wards for waste sorting before the waste is carted to the waste treatment plant.
While DMA Dr Tariq Thomas told the civic officials that setting up sorting units, including bio-digesters at the wards to reduce the waste heading to Sonsodo, SWMC MD Levinson Martins suggested to the civic body to take two sheds at the Margao industrial estate on hire to carry out baling of plastic.
Both Dr Thomas and Martins agreed that the waste treatment is saturated with mixed waste, making it clear to the civic body that unless dry waste is sorted out at some designated spots, the Sonsodo plant will be in no position to accept and handle the mixed waste.
The teams first descended at the SGPDA retail market to explore the possibility of utilising the unused PDA space to set up bio-digester. The officials later headed to SGPDA’s wholesale fish market with the same purpose in mind before heading to the Sonsodo dump yard after examining two more places.
After the inspection, DMA Dr Thomas said the authorities are looking for decentralisation of the sorting of waste at different locations in the city. “Margao needs to segregate the waste. Because the entire load finds its way to Sonsodo, it has become difficult to deal with the issue. We are now on the job to decentralise the waste sorting at different locations by setting bio-digesters,” he said, adding that the teams will take a call on the location of the waste sorting and baling units.
When asked whether the exercise initiated by the authorities comes against the backdrop of the termination notice issued by Fomento, Dr Thomas shot back “our exercise is independent of the notice issued by Fomento. There’s a legal agreement between MMC and Fomento, which will take care of all issues. But, we have to reduce the load coming to the dump and ensure better efficiency, whoever is operating.”
Asked whether the wholesale fish market is being considered to set up the bio-digesters, he said a decision in setting up the decentralised units will be taken only after assessment. “We are assessing the sites to ensure that the units do not pose nuisance for the people,” he said, adding that he approached the South Goa MP to extend support to the civic body on solid waste management.
Dr Thomas made it clear that the waste treatment plant is getting waste more than the plant capacity. He, however, said the problem cannot be addressed overnight, saying ‘that’s the reason why we have laid stress on decentralisation of waste sorting’.
Waste segregation at source is now mandatory: Martins
MARGAO: Managing Director of Solid Waste Management Corporation Levinson Martins reminded Margao Municipal Chairperson Babita Prabhudesai and Chief Officer Sidhivinayak Naik that the waste segregation at source is now mandated by law.
Saying there’s no escape from waste segregation since it is required by law, Martins said there’s absolutely no space at the Sonsodo waste treatment plant to bale the plastic and dry waste. Hence, he suggested to the civic body to identify small areas for baling of dry waste.
Martins further made it clear to the Chief Officer that a Saligao-type plant will take at least minimum two years to take shape, adding ‘till the plant becomes a reality, waste segregation and baling of plastic and dry waste ought to be taken up by the civic body on a war footing. In this respect, he suggested to the MMC to get at least two sheds at the Margao industrial estate, each admeasuring 1000 square metres each on hire to bale the plastic waste’.
He further reminded the Chief Officer that law empowers the Municipal inspectors to fine waste generators if they do not hand over waste in segregated form.
