the goan I network
PANAJI
Largely unsuccessful and clueless over how to tackle the garbage menace, the State government now plans to tap the influence of local religious leaders to help it motivate the citizenry into joining the fight to clean up Goa.
Involving leaders of various religions prevalent in Goa forms a significant module of a new ‘holistic policy’ on solid waste management which the Goa government notified earlier this week.
The policy published in the Official Gazette says among a slew of measures: “Involvement of ‘Religious Leaders’ plays a significant role in changing people’s minds.”
For over a decade and more, successive State governments, the bureaucracy and elected representatives and regimes in municipal and village local self-government bodies, have struggled to manage the trash.
Top officials in the Urban development ministry acknowledged that keeping Goa clean and green has been a daunting task and a losing battle prompting the administration to adopt the unusual strategy of formally involving leaders of local religions.
The exhaustive policy, published in the official gazette by Urban Development Director, R Meneka, IAS, also talks of regularly organizing signature campaigns across the State on temple waste management, segregation of waste, banning plastics and segregation of waste into bio-degradable and non-biodegradable.
The policy which also articulates globally adopted techniques and practices lists holding door-to-door campaigns for creating awareness and distributing leaflets and posters explaining segregation methodologies.
A slew of other measures that the policy expressly mentions include organizing community rallies on environment day, earth day as it helps build excitement in the audiences and propels them to motivate others in their families and neighbourhoods.
Street Plays, cleanup drives, holding programs in schools and colleges as youth are strong communicators and involvement of the NCC, NSS and Scouts movement for the task is also envisaged in the Policy.
In this gigantic strategy, the policy also articulates a massive media campaign involving the print media, television, radio, theatre, cinema and the buzzing social media space.
The media plan quoted in the policy talks of a two-month campaign themed on the “My Clean & Green Goa” slogan.
Another significant strategy that the policy mentions is to involve the stake-holders of the tourism sector.
Taximen, motorcycle pilots, policemen, travel agents, etc, should be motivated to ensure tourists entering by road or flight are greeted with messages urging them to keep Goa clean and green.
“Bus cleaners announcing ‘have a nice stay’ and ‘keep Goa clean and green’, similarly at the airport, the taxi operators, staff at restaurants and local stores, should be ensured,” says the policy.
Politicians and the State’s 60,000-odd strong army of government servants is also targeted by the policy to help in this task of cleaning up Goa of its mess and trash.
“Our Government offices, our seniors officials, even our Ministers and MLAs can address the house or public with the ‘My Clean and Green Goa’ theme,” the policy states.
Signature campaigns on temple waste management, segregation of waste, banning plastic and segregation of waste into bio-degradable and non-biodegradable to be organised
Policy to lay stress on door-to-door campaigns, distributing leaflets, posters explaining segregation methodologies
To organise community rallies on environment day, earth day
Street plays, cleanup drives, holding programs in schools and colleges planned
Campaign to involve print media, television, radio, theatre, cinema & social media too
Stake-holders in tourism sector to be roped in
Taximen, motorcycle pilots, policemen, travel agents to be motivated to ensure tourists keep Goa clean and green
Politicians & govt servants also targeted to help in cleaning up Goa
