On receiving Golden Jubilee funds amounting to Rs 3 croresin 2011, the Margao Municipal Council had begun a chaka-chak drive, wherein allthe twenty wards were given two munciality workers on a full time basis toclean storm water drains, carry out bush cutting and clear illegal garbagedumping sites.
But the over-ambitious MMC under the aegis of ChairpersonArthur D'Silva and Chief Officer Srinet Kotwale has failed to maintainconsistency on the chaka-chaka drive. “We have almost 320 contract andpermanent labour engaged in garbage collection, clearing encroachments inmarket areas and pavements besides two staff provided per ward to continuouslyclean up the wards," stated Chief Officer Srinet Kotwale.
Similarly Chairperson Arthur D’Silva, who has just fourmonths of his 11-month tenure left, boasts of increasing the number of dailywage workers at the Margao municipality through the help of Urban Developmentminister Francis D’Souza but seems unaware of what this labour is doing.
“The problem is this MMC labour send to different wards isnot monitored. The Sanitation Officers of the municipality never visit thewards on a regular basis. Garbage collection in the mornings is a mess. Binsare flung back and not kept in order ad in-turn garbage is strewn all over.These workers take the per day wage from the MMC while they earn Rs 500 a daytaking up private jobs,” stated Borda resident Jose Caeiro.
One of the most ignored areas in the Council is the Mungulward that lies on the Border of the Fatorda and Benaulim constituency. Thebiggest problem in the ward is the garbage dumped by hotels from nearby Colva,Benaulim and Varca that makes way into housing colonies, the Mungul creek andeven the few cultivable fields in Mungul.
“This year the farmers of Mungul and Seraulim didn’tcultivate more than 50% of their land since they couldn’t clear the large blackgarbage bags dumped by hotels from Colva that has broken mugs and othermerchandise from these hotels. Now who should take action against thismalpractice? The Colva panchayat or the municipality?” stated activist JudithAlmeida that has been fighting hard to keep garbage in-check along the SouthGoa coastal belt.
“If the municipality doesn’t monitor all this, which elsewill do the job?” question Mungul resident Sergio Carvalho.
Meanwhile Aquem resident Tito Barneto also adds to the woesof the Chaka-Chak drive pointing out to the MMC had constructed almost 40composting units across 20 wards but the MMC has failed to utilise the units.
