Agitated locals question whether police conducted panchanama
MARGAO
The BJP-controlled Margao Municipal Council on Friday faced the ignonimity of lifting away tons of mixed waste dumped by the civic body in the neighbouring village of Benaulim over the last few days.
In an unprecedented operation unheard in the recent history of the civic body, Margao Municipal men and machinery were drafted by the civic officials to clear the waste and debris dumped on the banks of river Sal at Benaulim on Friday.
Even as the municipal trucks were on the job to lift way the mixed waste, including coconut and garden waste on the dictates of the civic body, agitated local residents clamoured for punishment and imposing of fine against the erring Municipal officials responsible for dumping the city waste in the neighbouring village.
In fact, around noon, a group of agitated residents questioned the MMC work of clearing the debris from the village without the Colva police conducting a panchanama of the waste dumping.
As the residents raised an uproar, village Sarpanch Xavier Pereira and others rushed to the spot demanding to know whether the police has conducted a site panchanama of the waste dumped in the locality.
As a precautionary measure a police jeep was sent to the spot by the Colva police at the spot before the Municipal trucks beat a retreat back to the city.
Sarpanch Pereira told The Goan that the people were demanding a police panchanama of the waste dumped in the village in order to impose penalty on the civic body as per the rules in force. “The people pointed out how the panchayat will impose the fine if the police do not conduct a site panchanama. I will find out from the police the action initiated against the MMC officials,” he said.
Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas, who also came to the spot, told the media that there ought to be accountability in the Margao Municipal Council over the decision to dump the city waste in Benaulim.
“This is nonsense. The MMC should explain why the civic body had to resort to disposing of the city waste in Benaulim. Just imagine a situation if the waste dumping in Benaulim had to go unnoticed,” he said.
The MLA warned that the people of Benaulim have sent a message loud and clear to the Margao Municipality that the village will not take the city waste. “Thanks to local resident Roque Fernandes, who raised the issue, we have been succeeded in stopping the MMC from dumping waste, but has made the civic body to lift away the waste back to the city,” he added.
Meanwhile, Benaulim Sarpanch Xavier Pereira said the panchayat has officially lodged a complaint with the Colva police against the Margao Municipal Chief Officer and Chairperson for dumping the city waste in the village. He has demanded action in the matter against the duo and stop fresh dumping of the waste.
Earlier in the day, Margao Municipal Chairperson Damu Shirodkar told the media that instructions have been issued to the civic workers to lift the waste from Benaulim back into the city.
Meanwhile, Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai on Friday said it is indeed a shame that the MMC has been caught dumping waste in a neighbouring village and has been told to lift away the waste back to the city. “This is the first time that such a thing has happened in the history of the civic body. Indeed, the powers that be should explain to the people the state of affairs,” he added.
