the goan I network
MARGAO
The night-long operation and coordinated approach by the agencies finally helped to bring the Sonsodo fire under control on Friday, even as the fire services and the Margao Municipal Council were found working in tandem late evening to cap the last traces of smoke billowing from the site.
While the fire was brought under control, firemen and Margao municipal workers were stationed at the site to cap the smoke, and ensure there’s no further air pollution by the emission of smoke from the dump yard.
A visit to the Sonsodo site on Friday evening revealed that while the main dump has been rid of fire and smoke, traces of smoke were found billowing from the edge of the dump, especially around the location of the abandoned Komex shed.
While municipal trucks made trips, bringing in tonnes of mud to cap the fire and smoke, the Fire Services led by Deputy Director Nitin Raikar along with his men continued to maintain vigil at the site. Raikar was seen monitoring the fire fighting work from the bowser truck, while firemen were all stationed near the treatment plant. A couple of fire tenders were stationed on the road heading to the treatment plant, indicating that the fire fighting operation was nearing an end, but were
ready to meet any further eventuality.
Deputy Director, Fire Services Nitin Raikar told the media that the fire brigade used around 1.10 lakh litres of water in the fire fighting operation. He said around 50 fire personnel took part in the operation from Thursday noon till Friday noon to bring the fire under control.
Raikar further informed that around 75 truckloads of mud were dumped at the site to cap the smoke emanating from the dump. Around 30 Margao Municipal Council workers were engaged in capping the site with mud, with the help of a shovel and JCB. MMC engineer Agostinho Mesquita personally supervised the operation to ensure that the required mud was made available for the operation.
Heavy-duty trucks belonging to the Zuari bridge contractor were also roped in to transport the mud. “Around 65 per cent of the work to bring the fire and smoke under control is complete. It will take another 4-5 hours to completely cap the smoke at the site”, Raikar told the media at around 5 pm.
