In a first of its kind in Salcete, a manned waste deposit centre, which will facilitate citizens to deposit waste with the centre and discourage road side waste dumping, has become a reality on Goa Revolution day at Davorlim on the outskirts of Margao.
Impressed by the manned Waste Deposit Centre, PWD Minister Digambar Kamat has proposed two such centres in Margao to rid the commercial capital of road side dumping with waste coming from outside the Margao Municipal jurisdiction.
Set up by the Goa Waste Management Corporation at a cost of around Rs six lakh, the Waste Deposit Centre is billed as a significant step towards improving waste management and eliminating roadside garbage dumping, GWMC officials said the manned Waste Deposit Centre at Davorlim on the Eastern Bypass near Margao will help curb illegal waste dumping.
A senior GWMC official said the initiative comes after years of persistent waste dumping at the location despite regular highway roadside cleaning operations carried out by GWMC.
“Several Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities were conducted to raise awareness among residents regarding the environmental and public health hazards of indiscriminate waste disposal. However, the problem continued, largely due to gaps in the door-to-door waste collection mechanism within the panchayat area”, the official said.
To address the issue, GWMC intensified enforcement measures and conducted multiple drives to identify and penalise violators. Building on these efforts, the Corporation established the manned Waste Deposit Centre to provide residents with a convenient and responsible option for waste disposal.
Under the new system, citizens can deposit their waste in a segregated manner at the centre, from where it will be regularly collected and transported by GWMC for further processing. The facility is equipped with four-way segregation bins, a waste segregation table, and CCTV surveillance to ensure proper operation and monitoring.
Inaugurating the Waste Deposit Centre, PWD Minister Digambar Kamat said the centre will go a long way in addressing the garbage issue plaguing the areas of Davorlim and adjoining areas.
Navelim MLA Ulhas Tuemkar too made a fervent plea to the citizens to deposit segregated waste at the Centre instead of disposing it along road sides.
As part of the broader initiative, GWMC has also deployed two Mobile Waste Collection Centres (vehicles) at strategic locations, namely Mugali Junction and near Davorlim Church, to facilitate easier disposal of segregated waste by residents.
The project aims to substantially reduce waste dumping within the Davorlim-Rumdamol Panchayat jurisdiction and promote cleaner surroundings. Appreciating the concept and design of the facility, Digambar Kamat expressed satisfaction with the initiative and indicated that efforts would be made to establish two additional manned waste deposit centres in the Margao area to further strengthen waste management infrastructure and contribute towards a cleaner and greener Margao.
GWMC officials stated that the initiative reflects the Corporation's commitment to sustainable waste management practices and community participation in maintaining a clean environment.
