the goan I network
MARGAO
In an interesting development, work on the remediation of the Sonsodo legacy dump has come to a halt since the last two days following a technical snag in the hydraulic pump of the machinery.
While the work has come to a halt due to technical reasons, the development has come as a breather for the Margao Municipal Council, which is still struggling to find the right place for the storage of the remediated waste with the proposal to use the paddy fields opposite the Margao railway station triggering protests from farmers and residents.
After the remediation exercise was flagged off with much fanfare on Sunday by Margao City Fathers, the operation has come to a stop with the contractor sending the hydraulic pump for repairs to Kolhapur in Maharashtra.
When The Goan team visited Sonsodo to ascertain the progress of remediation work and how the GWCM is disposing off the remediated waste at the site, the machinery was found lying idle.
Inquiries revealed that it had been two days since the hydraulic pump of the machine had developed a technical snag, disrupting the remediation operation.
However, heavy earth moving machinery was working on the legacy dump, creating a platform to play host to the second remediation machinery.
Another heavy machine was working on the legacy dump around the area where the 33 KV overhead power line was passing.
An electricity official, who was present at the site, informed that a shut down has been taken for the heavy earth moving machinery to clear the area of the waste dump.
When The Goan called up Managing Director of Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC) Levinson Martins to shed light on the remediation work at Sonsodo, Martins said there was a minor snag in the machine, which is expected to be rectified either tonight or tomorrow.
Martins, however, said that the contractor will immediately mobilize the second remediation machinery at Sonsodo by Wednesday, adding that the remediation work will go in full swing once the two machines work to their capacities.
“It’s a fact that the remediation work has come to a halt at Sonsodo because of some problem with the hydraulic pump. The repair is already carried out and the problem will be fixed either tonight or tomorrow,” Martins added.
The GWMC Managing Director further informed that the remediated waste generated on day one of the operation is being accommodated at Sonsodo itself, adding that the Margao Municipality and the agencies should immediately scout for land for the storage of the remediated waste before the remediation operation goes full swing from this week.
