the goan I network
OLD GOA
The feast of St Francis Xavier ended at Old Goa nearly 10 days ago, but heaps of garbage still lie around the world heritage sites.
Upset with the lethargic attitude of the Se Old Goa panchayat in clearing the garbage, some residents of Old Goa got together on Wednesday evening to seek answers from the panchayat authorities on the issue.
However, neither the sarpanch nor the panchayat secretary was present at the panchayat office, which further infuriated the villagers.
They have now threatened to dump the accumulated garbage in front of the panchayat, if it is not cleared at the earliest.
Speaking to The Goan, a local, Glen Cabral, blamed the panchayat for failing to clear the garbage.
Pointing to heaps of garbage near the road junction close to the Gandhi circle, where a cross is located, Cabral said: “Residents of the area have to bear the stench as the waste, including wet waste, has not been cleared for the past 10 days.” “The panchayat is spending lakhs of rupees every month on garbage collection. Then why is this garbage not cleared,” he further questioned.
The residents further pointed out that this issue has become an annual affair after the feast and the residents have had to suffer.
When The Goan tried to contact Old Goa Sarpanch Janita Madkaikar, she did not respond to calls. Sources informed that she is currently out of town.
However, sources in the panchayat informed that the problem has arisen as the stalls are not dismantled by December 4, as is mandated under the terms while allotting stalls.
“There are some persons who encourage these stall owners to put up for more days and enjoy benefit from the same,” the sources added, while pointing out that some stalls are yet to be dismantled and the stall owners indiscriminately dump mixed garbage, making it difficult to collect and treat the garbage.
