MARGAO
The Sonsodo waste treatment plant was back in the news on Tuesday as smoke was found billowing out of the shed housing the plant, only raising questions over the upkeep and maintenance of the plant.
While sources said that a minor fire broke out inside the plant a day ago, the smoke continues to billow out from the shed in the last two days.
As per the strict instructions of the Margao Municipal Chief Officer and Chairperson, the media were denied permission to enter the Sonsodo complex to check the status of the plant. But, one could clearly see from a distance that smoke billowing out from the shed on Tuesday evening.
The surrounding areas of Sonsodo, including Amrutnagar area in the MMC jurisdiction and the adjoining areas of Raia and Curtorim were stinking with odour from burning waste.
No officials were willing to come on record, leave alone explain how come the fire broke out again inside the plant, which is now posing a health hazard to the neighbouring residents.
With thousands of tonnes of waste stacked inside the Sonsodo plant for want of treatment and the MMC still unable to rope in a contractor to cart away the waste and remediate the waste, fires and smoke has become a common phenomenon inside the plant.
It’s now over three months since the MMC had decided to cart away the accumulated waste inside the plant, but in vain.
In fact, over 4,000 metric tonnes of waste is presently accumulated inside the plant for want of treatment.
Plans to appoint a contractor to run the plant till the two 25TPD bio-methanation plants takes shape has not materialised till date. And, neither the plan to rope in a contractor to treat the accumulated waste has been executed till date.
