MARGAO: In a bid to expedite all the works at the Sonsoddo landfill site and find solutions to the numerous challenges that are impeding the remediation, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has convened a meeting of the members of the High-Powered Committee (HPCC) on Sonsoddo on Monday, May 22 in Panjim.
Due to the approaching monsoon season, work at the site is likely to be paused soon until the rains stop.
Sawant is the HPCC Chairman while the other members include Vishwajit Rane, Urban Development Minister, Margao MLA Digambar Kamat, Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai, Curtorim Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, Managing Director of Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC) Levinson Martins, South Goa Collector, Chief Secretary and other concerned Secretaries, Directors of various government departments and Member Secretaries of concerned government agencies.
Waste Management Minister Atanasio Monserrate is also expected to be invited for the meeting where GWMC and the MMC are expected to give a status update report.
Recent fires at Sonsoddo have also hampered works while the deadlines given by the authorities for completion of the court-monitored work have also been delayed.
During recent inspections held at Sonsoddo, some of the officials blamed the delay on the slow pace at which files related to the works and funds required are getting cleared.
It may be recalled that in the first week of March, the State government had informed the High Court that 98% of the legacy dump has been removed from the Sonsoddo garbage dumping site and the remaining waste will be cleared within a week. Advocate General Devidas Pangam told the court that the contractor has about a year’s time at his disposal to clear the remaining Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF) from the site. Once that gets done, the State government plans to set up a proper Solid Waste Management (SWM) plant there to manage the garbage generated in MMC’s jurisdiction and the surrounding areas.
GWMC which is executing the works is of the opinion that after completing the bioremediation of the pending legacy dump, the Refuse-Derived fuel (RDF) generated from the process would be transported to the cement factory or used for land filling by the contractor.