MMC postpones outsourcing waste collection, roots for model project

Photo Credits: MMC Chairperson Babita Angle

Photo caption

MMC Chairperson Babita Angle Prabhudessai at a meeting with City Fathers and concerned citizens on solid waste management. Santosh Mirajkar

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Outsourcing of the door-to-door waste collection will take some time for want of a data base on the number of households and establishments in the city. Unless the civic body is in possession of this basic data, I don’t think the civic body would be in a position to tender door-to-door waste outsourcing,"

- Babita Angle Prabhudessai, MMC chairperson

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MARGAO

With the municipality not having a data base on the number of households and commercial establishments in the city, the Margao Municipal Council has decided to postpone outsourcing of door-to-door waste collection, but has rooted for a model project whereby waste segregation will be taken up in six municipal wards, beginning from February 1.

At a meeting convened by MMC Chairperson Babita Angle Prabhudessai on Tuesday evening with City Fathers and councillors, it was decided that the municipality should first compile the data base of the number of households before tendering outsourcing of the door-to-door waste collection.

However, till such time the data base is put in place after tendering the job and finalising the agency to execute the data base compilation, the municipality has decided to implement a model project in six wards to streamline the door-to-door waste collection presently executed by self help groups (SHGs).

The meeting reviewed the waste collection by the self help groups and it was noticed that while the SHGs have been struggling to keep pace with the waste collection, they were found wanting in waste segregation.

After the meeting, the MMC Chairperson Babita Angle told The Goan that outsourcing of the door-to-door waste collection will take some time for want of a data base on the number of households and establishments in the city. “Unless the civic body is in possession of this basic data, I don’t think the civic body would be in a position to tender door-to-door waste outsourcing," she said.

Replying to a question, she said engaging a private agency to compile the household data base will be taken at the next council meeting. “We will tender the work of compiling the household data base. But, since all these things will consume a lot of time, we have decided to streamline the ongoing waste collection by the SHGs in first six wards and then replicate the model in the other wards. From February 1, a dedicated vehicle will be provided to the SHGs for waste segregation in these six wards. We plan to create an awareness amongst the citizens of the six wards before the project is implemented from February 1," she added.

Citizens including environmental activist Clinton Vaz and others attended the meeting.

MARGAO: Margao Municipal Council Chairperson Dr Babita Angle Prabhudessai, who runs a clinic in the city, has openly batted for bringing the city hospitals under the garbage tax net.

At a meeting with the City Fathers and citizens held in her chamber on Tuesday evening, Dr Babita said that the hospitals, which generate a lot of wet waste, cannot escape payment of garbage collection fees. “I am of the firm opinion that the hospitals, which generate wet garbage, ought to be brought under the garbage tax net. The proposal will be placed before the council meeting for an appropriate decision," she said.

She later told The Goan that along with the hotels, the hospitals should also be asked to pay the prescribed garbage collection fees.