the goan I network
MAPUSA
Stressing the need of forming a ministry for garbage to tackle the bludgeoning waste menace, Deputy Speaker and Calangute MLA Michael Lobo has expressed his wish to be the first garbage minister in the State.
“A ministry of garbage has to be formed. There is housing minister…and many such other ministers. But there is no garbage ministry...because it smells. Nobody will be ready to be a minister of garbage. I am ready to be minister for garbage,” Lobo said.
The coastal MLA was speaking to the media at the sidelines after attending a function on International Yoga Day in Calangute Association Hall in Calangute on Friday.
Continuing, Lobo said Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and Deputy Chief Minister Vijai Sardessai understood what he was talking about and the importance of forming a garbage ministry in the State.
“Minister for garbage should be there. There should be entire department of garbage with a director. The Solid Waste Management Corporation should also exist. Just like we have tourism ministry and we have Goa Tourism Development Corporation,” he said.
He further stressed the need of having constant monitoring and review of waste collection taking place in the State.
“How can things move ahead if we meet once in three months? The next meeting on garbage is on June 24. This meeting is being held after nearly six months. We should have daily review meeting on garbage. Whether the garbage is being lifted from different towns, cities and villages of Goa or not,” the Calangute MLA opined.
Lobo said that it was he who had suggested to former chief minister late Manohar Parrikar to form a garbage corporation in the State.
“The former chief minister finally agreed and set up the solid waste management corporation in the State. He did it because he was convinced that a garbage corporation was the need of the hour,” he said.
The coastal MLA further said that Margao was facing worse condition because of improper way of treating garbage and sympathised with the Fatorda MLA.
“Vijai Sardessai is facing problems because of the waste issue. But this problem is not of his doing. His predecessors have created this problem,” he said and suggested of handing over the Sonsoddo dump site to the solid waste management
corporation.
