SANGUEM
Residents and local leaders from Cacora-Curchorem have raised concerns over alleged environmental and public health risks posed by the garbage treatment plant at Cacora.
Addressing the media, Pushkal Sawant Dessai questioned the continuation of activities at the facility, alleging that its operations have adversely affected residents living nearby. He also raised concerns over possible chemical contamination of water bodies and its impact on the environment.
“We want to know whether chemicals released from the plant are responsible for the fish mortality reported in the nearby stream,” he said.
Sawant Dessai recalled that similar concerns had surfaced last year, when reports of water pollution and fish deaths had triggered public alarm and demands for corrective action.
Plant representatives, however, denied that the contaminated water originated from the facility, maintaining that the pollution was caused by legacy run-off from an external dumping site and not by current operations.
Sawant Dessai disputed the explanation, saying fish deaths had been reported as recently as 2025, indicating that the issue remains unresolved and warrants urgent attention.
Questions were also raised over the presence of dirty, stagnant water in the area despite the absence of heavy rainfall. Plant officials attributed it to accumulated water that had failed to drain out, rather than any fresh discharge from the facility.
Another villager, Uday Deikar, pointed out that the plant processes waste from four major South Goa constituencies and expressed concern over its environmental impact.
“The burden of waste management has affected a traditional stream and created hardships for residents living in the vicinity,” he said.
Describing the issue as a matter of public health, locals have urged the Health Department and other authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and take immediate remedial measures. “Prompt intervention is necessary to safeguard both the environment and the health of local residents,” Deikar added.
