Push for relocating chemical waste to safer location
Despite Fire brigade dousing out the fire on Saturday, thick smoke once more began to rise on Sunday night in Chanimol.
SANGUEM
Villagers residing in the Chanimol ward of Kalay village are once again facing distress as fire reignited on Sunday night at the site where industrial and chemical waste was recklessly dumped in an abandoned laterite stone quarry in the village.
This restarting of the fire follows a period of sleepless nights for the community five days prior due to a massive blaze at the same location.
Bharat Pingle, a concerned villager, reported that after the initial fire was extinguished last week, authorities attempted to contain the remaining debris and industrial waste by covering it with mud in the abandoned laterite stone quarry.
However, after a mere three-day respite, the fire has alarmingly restarted, with thick smoke emanating from the waste buried beneath the mud. Pingle further stated that the fire brigade was called again on Saturday to douse the flames.
Despite this intervention, thick smoke once more began to rise on Sunday night, causing significant concern and panic among the villagers.
The community is now urgently appealing to the authorities to implement permanent measures to eradicate the fire hazard completely and to relocate the remaining chemical waste to a safer location.
It is pertinent to note here that the Curchorem Police had previously arrested two individuals allegedly involved in the initial dumping incident, but they were subsequently released by the JMFC Quepem.
The recurring fire underscores the inadequacy of the temporary containment measures and the pressing need for a sustainable solution to safeguard the health and well-being of the villagers.
