MARGAO
The Goa Women’s Forum (GWF) has raised concern over the plan to install Deposit Refund Scheme (DRS) collection point machines in village panchayat premises without a proper consultative process. It said the move will affect consumers who are members of the gram sabha.
In a letter to Mahadev Araundekar, Director of Panchayats, the GWF said that although the DRS was notified in 2024, no stakeholder meetings have been held at the district or taluka level since then. The scheme is now proposed to be rolled out from April 1, 2026.
The GWF has started an awareness campaign asking consumers to boycott the DRS. It said the scheme requires buyers to pay a deposit on items sold in glass, rigid plastic, cans and similar packaging. The deposit will be Rs 2, Rs 5 or Rs 10, over and above the MRP. Consumers can get the money back only after putting the empty packaging with a QR code into a DRS collection point machine, said GWF convenor Lorna Fernandes.
Based on information collected by its volunteers, Fernandes said neither elected panchayat members nor members of the Garbage Management Committee (GMC) and Village Development Committee (VDC) have been informed about the DRS or asked for feedback since 2024. She added that the rollout from April 1, 2026 could also affect the functioning and viability of material recovery facilities (MRFs) run by village panchayats across Goa.
In its letter, the GWF said that in the past two days, volunteers reported that some people promoting the DRS have been visiting village panchayats in South Goa, saying the machines must be installed in panchayat premises. When some women elected members said they did not want to join the scheme or install the machines, they were allegedly told that the Directorate of Panchayats had made it compulsory. When asked for a copy of the order, they were told it would be sent by email.
Fernandes said that so far no meeting has been held by any Block Development Officer in any taluka on the implementation of the DRS, compulsory participation of village panchayats or installation of the machines.
She warned that any attempt to force the installation of such machines without following the legal consultative process would be strongly resisted and could lead to a law and order situation. “The GWF will take all steps to protect the rights of consumers in Goa against any retailer, distributor, wholesaler or manufacturer who charges any amount over and above the MRP by using stickers or labels with QR codes,” she added.
