MARGAO
Even as the Margao fire brigade continued to battle the fire and smoke at the waste mound near the KTC bus stand on Sunday morning, polluting the environment, Margao Municipal officials on Sunday conceded that the civic body could not immediately deploy the heavy machinery at the site over pending bills of the owner.
Margao municipality engineer Manoj Arsekar conveyed this situation to Margao MLA Digambar Kamat, who along with Municipal Chairperson Damu Shirodkar in tow, visited the site to take stock of the situation and warn miscreants not to set fire to the waste mound.
After the fire brigade said the solution lies in churning up the waste with heavy machinery and capping the same with mud, the Margao MLA ask municipal officials why it has not deployed heavy machinery to churn up the waste.
Municipal Engineer Arsekar was candid in admitting that the bills of the owner of the heavy machinery, which was engaged by the civic body in the past, are pending, prompting the MLA to ask for the owner’s phone to get the machinery.
The Margao MLA later told the media that attempts are underway to completely bring the fire under control by Sunday.
“Here, the MMC dumps only grass and garden waste, besides mud. But, someone is trying to play mischief by setting the waste on fire,” Kamat said while warning those involved in setting the waste afire will be dealt with as per the laws.
Firemen, however, warned there’s no possibility of bringing the fire under control with water unless the MMC deploys heavy machinery and caps the dump with mud.
“On Saturday, we had used 50,000 litres of water to bring the fire under control. Today, we have used 30,000 litres. The water, time and energy of the firemen go waste since what is required is capping the dump with mud,” remarked a fireman.
