When Konkan Railway came to Goa it divided Seraulim villageinto two halves. Along with the railway line Seraulim lost its identity andsleep.
This was a few decades back.
The village is once again under a threat. Now, the danger isfrom garbage and multiple holiday home projects.
Garbage disposal carried out in Duncolim and B&C wardshas disturbed the peace of Seraulim village.
Two garbage contractors Antonio Rosario Fernandes andManguesh Fernandes are involved in the business of collecting waste from surrounding5 star and 4 star hotels.
But their method of treating the waste has left a bittertaste in the mouth of the villagers. Besides obnoxious smell there are severalcomplaints of pollution in the area.
“They illegally dump garbage in our village and treat it inan unhygienic manner. The garbage includes plastic bags and bottles which areset on fire at night which emit a foul smell,” said Richard Perreira, aresident from Seraulim.
Perreira explained that the garbage contractors also have apiggery with over thirty pigs each that adds to the stink. Many villagers havecontracted dengue and malaria because of the wet garbage pits, he added.
The Goa State Pollution Control Board had declared thegarbage treatment units of the two contractors as polluting one after receivingcomplaints from the villagers.
“I began this business almost twenty years back as I wasunemployed. I bring wet waste from the hotels to feed my cattle and pigs andprovide the same to over 35 families in Seraulim who also rear animals for aliving,” Manguesh said.
“All these allegations of pollution and illegalities arepolitical in nature and have no substance,” he added.
The villagers raised the issue of garbage disposal carriedout by the two at various gram sabhas since stray dogs, crows and cowsfrequently feed on the garbage.
The leachate which collects due to waste treatment, flowsinto the nearby fields and spoil crops. No one is willing to work in thesefields for fear of infection besides the unbearable stink.
“For long villagers suffered from dengue and malaria due toinaction from the authorities. Now, in a biased manner the officials haveissued notice only against Manguesh, which is very unfair,” said Elvis Lobo,Seraulim panch.
According to Antonio Fernandes, he was being targetedbecause he was a former sarpanch. He however, refused to comment on the stenchand leacate which flows and pollutes the fields.
Surprisingly the newly elected sarpanch has paid no heed tothe villagers’ demand, which prompted them to allege a nexus between thecontractors and authorities.
Seraulim Sarpanch, Seby Noronha admitted that the garbageunits are a menace but said that heatlh and GSPCB were responsible to takeaction on the same.
