North Goa shack owners flag waste collection lapse; complain of foul odour and loss of business
MAPUSA
Garbage management along the North Goa coastline has come under scrutiny after shack owners raised serious concerns over the non-collection of waste for four consecutive days during the peak tourist season, affecting major beaches including Calangute, Baga, Candolim, Anjuna and Morjim.
Shack owners said garbage generated by beach shacks remained uncollected for days, causing foul odour, health concerns and inconvenience to tourists. They also complained that routine beach cleaning had been neglected, leaving large stretches littered with waste.
“Apart from the failure to collect waste from shacks, the entire beach area looked filthy as garbage from the beaches was also not lifted for several days. It gave a very dirty look to the beaches,” said John Lobo of the Shack Owners Welfare Society.
Echoing the concerns, Manuel Cardozo of the Traditional Shack Owners Association said waste collection had become highly irregular despite daily collection being mandated under the contract.
“They are supposed to collect garbage every day, but that is not happening. Even the beaches are not being cleaned properly. This garbage collection contract is a big scam,” Cardozo alleged.
In a letter addressed to Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte and the Director of Tourism, shack owners said the waste contractor’s explanation of repeated vehicle breakdowns pointed to poor operational preparedness.
They warned that rotting garbage near shacks posed serious health hazards, forced tourists to leave early and was damaging Goa’s image and the livelihoods dependent on tourism.
The shack owners demanded immediate emergency clean-up using vehicles of the Goa Waste Management Corporation, a review of the contractor’s performance, imposition of penalties and strict accountability. They also warned of a protest at Paryatan Bhavan if the issue was not resolved within 12 hours.
The Tourism Department had awarded a five-year contract to M/s EcostanInfra Pvt Ltd in early 2025 for comprehensive beach cleaning services across North and South Goa. The scope of work includes waste collection, segregation, transport and disposal, along with cleaning of approach roads across 51 beaches.
