MARGAO
Deputy Chief Minister Vijai Sardesai has warned that the government will not remain a silent spectator if the “cat and mouse” game between the Margao Municipal Council and Fomento over the Sonsodo waste issue puts the citizens of Margao and Fatorda to hardships.
“The government will not remain a silent spectator if the citizens are held to ransom,” Sardesai warned after he came across overflowing bins and waste dumped all along the roadside in the city after returning home from London on Tuesday morning.
As stink stared at the city with garbage not lifted for the second consecutive day with Fomento insisting there’s no space in the plant to accept even segregated waste, an agitated Sardesai descended on the site to take stock of the situation on Tuesday morning along with MMC Chairperson Babita Prabhudesai and Chief Officer Sidhivinayak Naik.
After interacting with Fomento officials Sudin Pai Raiturkar and Shallom Sardinha and after taking a look at the mound of waste rejects inside the plant, Sardesai directed MMC officials to start clearing the mound immediately to make way for segregated waste at the plant. And, he directed the Chief Officer to lodge criminal proceedings against Fomento officials if they refuse to accept segregated waste inside the plant.
Fomento officials, however, explained to the deputy Chief Minister that Fomento is not to be blamed over the accumulation of waste rejects inside the plant with the civic body repeatedly failing to lift away the rejects over the last 20 days. They reminded Sardesai about the concession agreement wherein it was clearly mentioned that the responsibility lies on the civic body to cart away the waste rejects within 48 days, adding that it has failed to lift away the waste since the time fire broke out last month.
Later, briefing the media, Sardesai told the MMC Chairperson to explore the possibility of commencing waste sorting at the SGPDA pick-up stand land as a temporary measure and supply the segregated waste to the plant.
While sympathizing with the sentiments expressed by people over dumping of waste on the existing dump, Sardesai pointed out that while the existing waste is pegged at around 1.5 lakh tonnes, the waste rejects stacked inside the plant are around 1000 tonnes. “I want to reassure the people that the existing waste will be remediated after the monsoon,” he reassured, while directing the MMC to give the results within a day.
