A combination of this complaint - signed by 240 residents of Donvaddo and Sonarbhatt - and the Video Volunteers film
on the problem, led to a 3-way joint site inspection by the Health
Officer, Primary Health Centre, Candolim; the Dept. of Animal Husbandry
and the Sarpanch, VP Saligao. Copies of the film were given to the
Health Officer, Sarpanch, VP Saligao and local MLA.
The usual game of passing the buck stopped at the Sarpanch and it
now rests with him to stop the illegal activity and implement the
relevant laws and rules governing the keeping and slaughter of pigs in
residential areas. He will also have to implement the law governing
garbage dumps and the burning of garbage, especially plastics in a
residential area.
The Health Officer cannot escape the immediate removal of all the
health hazards connected with this illegal activity, and the burning of
plastic garbage.
The Pollution Control Board will have to stop
the burning of plastic garbage with its resultant air pollution as well
as the seepage into the underground water table of the infected,
putrefying and stinking blood, that rots in a pool along with the the
urine, dung and entrails of the slaughtered pigs.65
The communities of Donvaddo and Sonarbhatt have suffered enough. We
hope that the 2 communities along with Sarpanch Eknath will work
towards a win-win situation for them as well as the pig-rearing
families.
