the goan I network
MARGAO
Is the remediation work at the Sonsodo legacy dump progressing as per the plan put in place by the Goa Waste management Corporation (GWMC) in the last month and a half since the exercise began on December 15 last?
Or, have space constraints come in the way of the ambitious remediation project being undertaken by GWMC and monitored by the High Court upon a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the Citizens of Sonsodo?
A total of four remediation machines can be seen stationed at Sonsodo as part of the remediation project. However, many a question are being raised whether the four machines are fully operational at the site and the amount of legacy dump remediated by the contractor till date.
“Many a times, we do not see all four machines in operation. May be the contractor or the GWMC have their own schedule or might be facing some problems over space to dispose of the remediated waste”, a citizen pointed out, while demanding the GWMC come clear on the project as hardly four months are left for the monsoons to set in.
When The Goan contacted, GWMC Managing Director, Levinson Martins to shed light on the remediation project at Sonsodo, he expressed satisfaction on the progress of work, although he said that the project was initially stuck for want of land for the disposal of the remediated waste.
In fact, Martins took a review of the ongoing work at Sonsodo with the stake holders, including the contractor and officials of the PWD, Konkan Railway on Monday.
“I have been told that the contactor has till date remediated around 20,000 tonnes of waste at the Sonsodo legacy dump. Right now, we have four machines stationed at Sonsodo, of which three in operation. The GWMC has issued clear direction to the contractor to remediate as much waste as possible before the onset of monsoons,” he said.
The total waste lying at the Sonsodo legacy dump has been pegged at 2.35 lakh metric tones and the GWMC has set time of two years to remediate the entire dump. The entire cost may cost the state exchequer over Rs 43 crore given that the contractor is being paid at the rate of Rs 1800 to treat a tonne of waste, including the cost of transporting the RDF to the cement factories in Karnataka.
Martins pointed out that the PWD as well as the Konkan railway officials have agreed to take the inert waste for land filling projects undertaken by the two agencies, adding that the GWMC will soon receive formal NOCs from these agencies.
