MAPUSA
Warning that water bodies are being turned into dumping grounds, Aldona Congress MLA Carlos Ferreira on Saturday urged residents to stop throwing plastic and garbage into ponds and streams, saying environmental responsibility cannot be confined to festival days alone.
Speaking while launching the work of desilting and improvement of the Ganpati Tollem pond at Nachinola, Ferreira said indiscriminate disposal of waste was severely polluting water sources.
“People are throwing garbage into the water and dirtying it. I have seen with my own eyes that even those who perform pooja at home throw the waste into the pond. During desilting, it is not just sand and mud that we remove, but bottles and other plastic waste that surface,” he said.
Referring to Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, the MLA urged people to practise genuinely eco-friendly customs. While acknowledging that many devotees now use clay idols, he pointed out that Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols were still being immersed for convenience. “PoP murtis do not sink properly nor disintegrate after immersion. They often float back to the surface, which is not only harmful to the environment but also shows disrespect to the deity,” he said.
The Water Resources Department (WRD) has taken up the desilting and improvement of the pond at an estimated cost of Rs 9.67 lakh. Apart from desilting, the work includes laying of pavers and installation of netting supported by stilts.
Ferreira thanked the Nachinola panchayat and the comunidade for extending support to the project, and also acknowledged the efforts of WRD officials in securing approvals.
The work is expected to be completed within 30 days.
