If today’s Panjim is showcased as a model for an honestattempt at educating people that cleaning your backyard is the first and onlyway to clean your town, it’s because Patricia has been the change agent. Buteven angels have a right to reach the end of their tether. Patricia probablyreached hers as she resigned as a co-opted councilor and the architect ofPanjim’s waste management efforts.
Before we analyse the reasons for her drastic decision, thereis one non-negotiable. Patricia must withdraw her resignation and come back. Ifthe valiant and the selfless leave the battle field because of one reportedstatement in the assembly that the government is planning to set up mixedgarbage plants as opposed to a segregated plant, the morale of the common manof man takes a blow.
While the tons of paper wasted in writing, reporting andanalysing the garbage problem has itself added weight to the waste, Panjim’sground level efforts of suggestion has been the only glimmer of hope for abetter future. Ironically the CCP Commissioner Sanjit Rodrigues and Patriciahave worked long and hard to pursue the mantra of segregation. Patricia must betold that come what may, that mantra will not stop being chanted.
30 colonies in Panjim have a four bin system, where drygarbage collected twice a week from homes is divided into bins fornon-recyclables (chips packets, etc), paper, metal and glass and plastic. Thewet waste collected every day goes through a different route.
The waste management committee constituted by Patricia Pintoand working towards better waste management needs to be encouraged.
Coming to the issue at hand, Ms Pinto is too much a part ofthe system and commands immense respect, to have the luxury of walking out. Herhurt is understandable but her action is still hasty. She has the right todemand an explanation and the CCP Commissioner and the Chief Minister have aduty to provide it.
If the decision is to do away with the waste Banguinimcompletely, it’s an incorrect decision that will help only those who havebrought property in the Ribandar old Goa area. The NIMBY (not in my backyard)approach to waste management should stop.
The government can initiate a separate plant in North Goawhich can commence immediately with mixed garbage but move rapidly towardssegregated garbage post a public awareness campaign. But a plant for Panjim handlingsegregated waste has to be a commitment etched in stone.
Panjim needs this promise and an equally important one thatPatricia will be back. And both are linked.
