the goan I network
MARGAO
The South Goa District Court on Thursday issued directions to the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) to collect the waste samples from the Sonsodo waste treatment plant to ascertain the nature of waste lying inside the plant “ whether the waste is excluded or inert.
The court directions come against the backdrop of the application moved by Fomento, drawing the attention of the district Judge B P Deshpande that the waste treatment is choked with around 800-900 tonnes of waste inside the plant for want of action by the Margao Municipal Council to cart away
the waste.
MMC legal counsel, Adv S Padiyar, however, drew attention of the court that the civic body is bound to cart away only excluded waste from the plant, while it’s the responsibility of the company to take care of the inert waste.
At this point, Judge Deshpande sought to know from the lawyers representing both Fomento and the MMC over the fate of inspection carried out by officials of the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) of the plant on October 1 as per the court order dated September 30, wherein the GSPCB was supposed to collect the waste samples and ascertain the nature of the waste, whether excluded or inert.
After arguments from both sides, Judge Deshpande issued directions to the GSPCB to visit the plant within one week and collect the waste samples in the presence of Fomento and
MMC officials.
The court further directed the GSPCB to submit the report of the samples to the court at the next date of hearing on January 4, 2020. The MMC was also directed by the court to file its reply to Fomento’s application that the non-carting of the waste by the MMC has choked the waste treatment plant.
Till the next date of hearing, the court ordered the existing arrangements to continue, wherein Fomento will continue to accept waste from MMC and will be paid by the civic body Rs 1 lakh per day in lieu of the treatment of the waste.
The MMC lawyer submitted before the court that the MMC chief officer will dispatch a letter to the GSPCB by Friday itself with the court directions to collect fresh samples from the plant and ascertain whether the waste lying inside is excluded or inert.
