The construction activity undertaken in the low-lying area apparently to set up a wet waste treatment plant.
Photo Credits: Manuel Vaz
OLD GOA
Acting on a complaint by St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar, the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) conducted inspection of the unauthorised operation of a scrapyard at Merces.
GSPCB official Vijay Kansekar was present for the inspection along with one of the original complainants Ajay Kholkar, Merces Sarpanch Assis Fernandes, Panchayat Secretary Vipin Korgaonkar and others.
When the last time inspection of the area was conducted by the Merces panchayat on June 13, scrap material was seen stored all over the place.
However, this time, the scrap material was not seen lying around. But from the strong odour emanating in the area, it was evident that wet waste was being dumped and to hide the same, mud was being dumped over the wet waste.
Fresh construction activity was also observed apparently for construction of wet waste treatment plant without approval from authorities concerned.
A scrapyard was also observed operating in the adjoining property, despite panchayat orders to shut the same.
Speaking to The Goan, the complainant, Ajay Kholkar, said he had to seek MLA Borkar’s intervention as his letter to the local MLA Rudolf Fernandes went unheeded.
“I had written to MLA Fernandes who, however, chose to remain silent on the issue. Hence, I approached MLA Borkar who immediately wrote to GSPCB, due to which the inspection was undertaken,” Kholkar said and added that many violations have been observed.
“Wet waste is being indiscriminately dumped here even as the Merces panchayat has only permitted handling of dry waste at the Material Recovery Facility (MRF) set up here,” he added.
“Also, construction has been undertaken apparently to set up a wet waste treatment plant without approvals from authorities concerned, including the local panchayat,” Kholkar informed and demanded that the panchayat should act on the same.
Kholkar further informed that landfilling has been done in the low-lying area. “I will lodge a complaint with the TCP department to act in the matter,” he added.
When contacted, Merces Sarpanch Assis Fernandes said the panchayat has only granted permission to set up the MRF to handle dry waste.
“We have not allowed permission to set up a wet waste plant. But we have asked the contractor to first get all permissions from authorities concerned before setting up the same,” Fernandes stated and informed that the panchayat will issue a stop-work notice to the contractor to stop the construction activity.
The sarpanch also directed the contractor not to allow wet waste in the area.
On the scrapyard operating in the adjoining property, Fernandes said the panchayat will issue notice to remove the scrapyard within 15 days, failing which the panchayat will dismantle the same.
