PANAJI
Margao Deputy Collector Sanjivani J. Satardekar on Wednesday urged citizens to remain alert and stop dumping garbage in order to prevent the spread of vector-borne diseases.
Addressing the media after a meeting of the District Coordination Committee for control of vector-borne diseases, Satardekar said citizens must first keep their homes and surroundings clean and immediately alert local authorities about stagnant water or garbage accumulation.
“In order to eradicate vector-borne diseases, a person has to start cleaning his house first and then maintain the surroundings clean. Once stagnant water is detected, immediate action must be taken,” she said.
The meeting was attended by officials from the Drinking Water, Fisheries and Health departments, along with representatives of the Goa Industrial Development Corporation and GOACAN.
GOACAN representative Roland Martins called for a systematic cleanliness campaign ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi. He stressed the need to properly maintain public toilets and take action against stagnant garbage. He also raised concerns over inadequate mapping of industrial waste and said responsibility for waste control had now been given to the Collector.
The committee decided to form coordination committees comprising representatives of panchayats, municipalities and health centres to address local issues and ensure faster action. The meeting also discussed shifting some health centres to the Kushavati district and using fines collected from violations for awareness campaigns and preventive measures.
Officials stressed that coordinated efforts by local bodies, health authorities and citizens are essential to control vector-borne diseases in South Goa.
