Goemkarponn desk
MARGAO: Shadow Council for Margao has demanded strong action against the delay over the completion of the baling sheds proposed for the baling of dry waste.
SCM recalled that 3 works for the construction of dry waste baling sheds were part of the 64 fraudulent tenders, which tenders were under the scrutiny of the Lokayukta in June 2020.
“These 3 works were granted special permission by the Hon’ble Lokayukta considering that these works were of urgent in nature, SCM Convener Savio Coutinho said. He said that while the work orders were issued for these Urgent works in June 2020, the works are yet to be completed.
“The 3 baling stations were proposed at SGPDA market, Old fish market and Sonsodo dump yard,” he said.
He noted that MMC collects approximately 15 tonnes of dry waste every day while only around 2 to 3 tonnes is baled daily.
“Thereby leaving a daily backlog of over 12 tonnes of dry waste. The situation at the Sonsodo dump yard is very alarming and a cause of serious concern. The accumulated dry waste mountain is rising by the day and even the approach roads are full with the dry waste alongside the road. As the summer approaches, there is every possibility of this dry waste mountain catching fire,” he said.
Coutinho added, “Even in the past, the Shadow Council for Margao had cautioned the Council over the accumulation of dry waste. However, they chose to ignore, eventually resulting in a fire incident, causing immense pollution and hardships to the public around”.
Coutinho lamented that crores of rupees are wasted by the Council due to a very poor waste management system. The Margao Municipal Council has the backing of very tall leaders, yet solutions to this commercial capital’s perennial problems are far from being solved.
Since the last term, we have observed that the ultimate agenda of the ruling Council is to promote dubious schemes. File’s go missing if the purpose of tendering of works is not realized, and eventually, the city suffers, Coutinho charged, while referring to the missing file of the work for construction of the approach road at Sonsodo.
SCM demanded that either the proposed baling sheds should be completed immediately so as to streamline the baling operations and reduce the accumulation of dry waste at Sonsodo or the tenders should be terminated by blacklisting the erring Contractor’s. Fresh tender process could be initiated thereafter.
