Goa Pollution Board expresses concern over garbage dump fire

The state pollution control authority in Goa issued a show cause notice to the Margao Municipal Council in South Goa for slack efforts to douse the fire which has been raging for several days at one of the state's largest garbage dump at Sonsoddo, located near South Goa's Margao town.

Talking to reporters late on Thursday, Ganesh Shetgaonkar, chief of the Goa State Pollution Control Board expressed concern about the pollution caused by the fire at the garbage dump and said that the Board was monitoring the situation and had directed the municipal authorities to respond to the Board's notice within three days.

"Next two three days we will be monitoring and the MMC has to reply to our showcause within three days else, we will have to initiate legal or criminal prosecutions," Shetgaonkar told reporters late on Thursday.

"We have issued direction to chief officer of Margao Municipal Council. As per the directions he has to take the initiative in extinguishing the fire and also we will be monitoring the ambient air quality," Shetgaonkar added.

Over the last few days, a garbage dump in South Goa's Sonsoddo area has been emitting smoke due to fire triggered by combustible methane gas pockets in the dump, which the state government has been unable to douse despite efforts.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant is monitoring the crisis on a day-to-day basis and has assured that the fire would be brought under control "in a few days".

--IANS

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