NAVELIM: Navelim witnessed tense moments on Saturday after villagers took to the streets and intercepted a tipper dumping garbage along the western bypass road.
The standoff lasted for nearly six hours after which the villagers finally agreed to allow capping of the garbage dumped so as to curtail the stench and demanded that the garbage be removed from the place on Sunday.
The residents of Calvaddo in Navelim came out after unbearable stench from the dumped garbage forced them out of their houses after two loads of garbage were dumped along the western bypass road by the tipper driver. The villagers laid a trap and waited for the tipper, which returned with a third load of garbage and the residents intercepted it.
Fearing trouble, the driver made good his escape. However, the villagers called police. The residents also called local MLA Luizinho Faleiro, who, however, could not come to the spot due to his prior engagements. The residents stuck to their demand of action against the owner of the tipper and that the garbage be removed immediately.
The standoff continued, as the villagers refused to entertain any ideas of burying the garbage saying that it will become a habit for others to continue dumping in the future. The situation aggravated after both the tyres of the tipper were deflated. The issue was later resolved after the villagers agreed to allow the garbage to be covered for Saturday night with an assurance that it will be removed from the place on Sunday morning.
Speaking to reporters, local resident Eleterio Carneiro demanded that stern action be taken under the Goa Non-biodegradable Garbage (Control) Act against the owner of the tipper and all those involved in the dumping of garbage. He said that the garbage appeared to be brought from a nullah which was why the stench was unbearable. The residents said that the stench was so bad that even closing the windows of their houses did not help. They said that they have already been battling dust pollution from the ongoing work on the western bypass road and now had to bear the garbage stench.