MARGAO
A garbage dump just behind the Margao Municipal Council building was engulfed by a massive fire on Friday evening, triggering panic amongst the local residents and bringing to the fore the Margao Municipal’s utter failure to address the waste imbroglio.
Thick black smoke billowed out from the dump located at the old fish market around 3.30 pm. Fire spread rapidly as the site was playing host to dry waste such as coconut shells and husks, besides plastic waste. Locals descended on the ground to lift a car which was was found parked at the old fish market, as the fire spread close to the vehicle.
This is not the first time that dry waste stacked at the old fish market has been engulfed by fire, throwing up questions why the Civic body is still continuing to stack waste at the site when local residents have been pleading for a stop to waste dumping. Local residents hoped that the fire incident will be a wake up call for the Margao Municipal Council to learn a lesson or two and stop waste dumping at the site.
Plastic bins laden with waste went up in smoke in the incident. Overhead electric wires supplying power to the Sulabh toilet block were gutted in the incident.
At first, residents could not ascertain the location of the fire and whether the fire has engulfed any building close to the Margao Municipality. The black smoke billowing out from the dump could be spotted at a distance, raising fears whether a major fire had engulfed the adjoining markets again.
Margao Municipal Chairperson Damu Shirodkar, who was holed up inside the building, rushed to the spot along with Councilors and officials.
The fire brigade, which was requisitioned to extinguish, reached the spot and started the fire fighting operations. It could not be immediately ascertained whether the dump was set afire or whether the fire took place due to accident.
Margao Municipal Chairperson Damu Shirodkar said the Civic body has been stacking dry waste at the old fish market site given the space constraints faced by the MMC to handle dry waste. “I cannot say whether the site was set afire or whether it was an accident. The fire brigade is on the job to extinguish the fire”, he said.
