the goan I network
MARGAO
For long now, residents of Curtorim, particularly those staying close to the Sonsodo waste dumping site, had no option but to breath and sleep with stink emanating from the dump for no fault of theirs.
Monday and Tuesday saw these beleaguered residents literally choked with a thick blanket of smoke as thick black smoke billowing from the burning waste dump yard since Monday noon enveloping over vast areas of Curtorim, right up to Maina on Tuesday.
Strong winds carried the black toxic smoke towards Curtorim and Maina as a thick cloud of smoke could be seen enveloping over the region since early Tuesday morning. Hapless residents of Maina helplessly watched the smoke settling over their residential houses as the fire services battled the raging fire since the last two days.
Amongst those hit by the thick cover of smoke was Margao Municipal Council Chairperson Babita Prabhudesai, who resides in the Maina area of Curtorim village. “I can understand the plight of the residents of Maina. I could see a blanket of smoke over the entire place. It is indeed bad, more so since the smoke has emanated from the waste dumping site,” she added.
Chairman of Curtorim Bio-diversity Committee J Santan Rodrigues said the Sonsodo fire ought to be an eye-opener to the powers that be to pool their efforts to tackle the Sonsodo dump with all sincerity. “Let the High Powered Committee members, newly elected South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha and whoever that matters come together and find out an early solution to the decades old issue,” Santan said.
Former Maina panch member Charles Barretto said though the fire had occurred on Monday, the smoke started settling down in the area since Tuesday morning. “Since the smoke has emanated from a waste dumping site, it can pose a major health hazard for the residents of the area,” Charles said, while demanding immediate action.
Curtorim Sarpanch Rui Menezes said the Curtorim panchayat will write to the Margao Municipal Council to take proper care of the Sonsodo dump and evolve a permanent solution to the waste problem.
Curtorim-based activist Felix Dias said people of Curtorim had protested in the past over MMC’s failure to tackle Sonsodo, but to no avail. “Smoke generated at Sonsodo has settled over Maina areas. This will affect the health of the citizens, especially the children,” he feared.
While panch member Simon Barretto has called for urgent steps by the MMC to control the smoke and fire, former Curtorim sarpanch Rupesh Naik demanded to know why should the villagers of Curtorim bear the brunt of Sonsodo when Margao municipality does not even accept the waste from the village.
He also lamented that other than the Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco, elected representatives from the neighbouring constituencies ought to have been present at the site to monitor the situation.
