MARGAO
A day after another portion of the Sonsodo waste management shed wall collapsed on Thursday, the Margao Municipal Council has sought permission from the Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC) to transport the 40 tonnes of city’s wet waste to the Saligao waste treatment plant.
For, a structural stability test conducted by the professors of Goa College of Engineering on Friday has revealed that the wall in question may come down further, posing danger to human beings.
While concluding that the main structure is stable and safe, the three-member team of GCE professors, however, has suggested measures to the civic body to rule out the possibility of further collapse of the shed structure.
The team comprising of Prof Purnanand Sawaikar, Ganesh Hegde and Madhuraj Naik have suggested to the civic body to raze down the side walls of the shed and also remove the lean portion as a precautionary measure. Dr Hegde told the media that the team has further asked for the removal of the waste dumped around the place where the portion of the wall had collapsed on Thursday. “The side wall is dangerous. Hence, the MMC has been told to remove the wall and take precautions,” he said.
After the three-member team made the suggestions, Margao Municipal Chairperson Lyndon Pereira told the media that the civic body has written to the GWMC that the MMC would transport the 40 tonnes of wet waste generated in the city to the Saligao plant on priority. “We are waiting for the GWMC to reply to the MMC’s request. The situation at the moment is dangerous at Sonsodo,” Lyndon said, even as he expressed the hope that the government will accord the civic body the permission to transport the city’s waste to Saligao.
The chairperson along with vice-chairperson Deepali Sawal, Chief Officer Rohit Kadam and councillors descended at Sonsodo to take stock of the situation after Thursday’s wall collapse.
The councillors expressed concern over the situation at the Sonsodo shed, saying the civic body should take steps to ensure that the shed is safe for the workers engaged in the waste handling job.
Chief Officer Kadam told the media that Thursday’s wall collapse is indeed a matter of grave concern, pointing out that the civic body will have no option than to raze down the wall before the entire structure comes down.
