the goan I network
MARGAO
Canacona-based NGO Goenkar on Monday descended on the Eastern bypass along the Aquem-Arlem stretch to clear the tonnes of waste dumped along
the road.
the NGO roped in around 25 labourers to accompany its members clear a good part of the Eastern bypass stretch of garbage. Tonnes of waste that was collected from the stretch was stacked in gunny bags for transportation to the Sonsodo dumpyard.
A member of Goenkar Sandesh Telekar said that the Eastern bypass was taken up for cleaning since it was used not only by Madgavkars and Canconkars, but also tourists travelling down South almost every day. “We spotted tonnes of waste dumped on the Arlem-Aquem stretch. We call Goa a tourist destination and we feel that tourists should not see this waste, but a clean and beautiful Goa,” he said.
Telekar further said the initiative by Goenkar is a reminder to the society that citizens should not only depend on the government to keep the State clean, but should lend their helping hand and support in this direction.
He thanked MMC Chairperson Babita Prabhudesai for her decision to accept the collected waste at the Sonsodo site. “We had an issue over the disposal of the collected waste. And, the MMC Chairperson was kind enough to accept our waste at Sonsodo,” he added. Commenting on the drive, Goenkar member Jack Fernandes said the NGO is doing the cleanliness drive for the good of Goa and requested the people to help the authorities by handing segregated waste in areas which has already adopted the door-to-door collection of waste. “People should ensure that they only hand over segregated waste when the labourers engaged by the local bodies come for pick up. This will go a long way in addressing the garbage issue,” he added.
Vikas Bhagat made a fervent plea to the people to stop disposing off their waste on the Eastern bypass, saying Goenkar will again descend on the bypass with a band of dedicated labourers in the future if the situation warrants.
