MAPUSA
Mapusa municipality has not been able to manage waste collection appropriately as wet waste is seen dumped in the open, said Waste Management Minister, Michael Lobo but on the chairperson’s request agreed to treat five tons of wet waste at the Saligao solid waste treatment plant.
Lobo also said, on Friday, that the civic body has adequate manpower for waste collection but it was not able to use the available human resources properly.
“There is a major issue of waste management in Mapusa. The town generates around 35 to 40 tons of wet waste every day. 50 per cent of the wet waste collection is not happening and the remaining waste that is collected is being dumped and not treated,” Lobo said.
“At least two to three ton of wet waste can be seen dumped by the roadside a little ahead of the government complex in Morod,” he added.
The waste management minister was speaking to journos after taking blessings of Lord Ganesh at the Mapusa Sarvajanik Ganesh.
Continuing, Lobo said the MMC has got the manpower to collect dry waste but the collection was not done properly as waste was found dumped at various points.
He informed that no panchayats or municipalities in the State were capable of treating waste on their own and that waste treatment was happening only at the Saligao solid waste treatment plant.
He further said that a similar plant will come up and become operational in Cacora in Curchorem in the next two months.
According to Lobo, the Chairperson of Mapusa Municipal Council Shubanghi Vaigankar had requested the Solid Waste Management Corporation to treat the municipality’s waste.
“We have approved to treat five tons of wet waste generated in Mapusa and can accept up to 10 tons,” he said.
He said the MMC should effectively utilize its manpower and further advised that an engineer should be tasked with the job to monitor the garbage collection in town.
“We are willing to provide an engineer from the waste corporation to train the civic staff for three months but the MMC should show willingness,” he said.
He further disclosed that the waste corporation treated almost 1.80 lakh cubic tone waste which was lying dumped at Ganeshpuri.
