It is learnt that a spot in Arradi Candolim, which was a garbage dump with more than 3,000 truck-loads of waste piled up there, has been turned into recreational area with a mini football ground and an anganwadi housing a women’s self-help group and plans are afoot to but up an indoor gymnasium at the spot.
The garbage from the spot was taken for treatment at the garbage treatment plant at Saligao, where it was turned into manure. The action of the local panchayat to convert a stinking garbage dump into a recreational centre is praiseworthy.
It is also a lesson for other panchayats and civic bodies on how to make good use of the land filled with garbage by treating the waste at the garbage treatment plant.
Land in Goa is a precious commodity and needs to be put to good use. Having landfills at several places needs to be done away with.
Health is at risk for those who live within five kilometres of a landfill. All the garbage needs to be treated in quick time so that the land becomes an open space which can be used by the authorities for other activities and the Candolim Panchayat has shown the way on how it can be done.
