the goan I network
MARGAO
Leaving behind the controversial garbage sentinel for the moment, a Margao Municipal team headed by Chief Officer Sidhivinayak Naik clamped down on commercial establishments and residential housing societies under the Goa non-biodegradable Garbage (Control) Act, 1996 for giving unsegregated waste to the Municipal
waste collectors.
More than 16 commercial establishments and housing societies faced action from the Margao Municipality as the Chief Officer and his team went about imposing fines under the Act. The offenders, including banks, financial institutions, hotels, eateries were all fined Rs 2000 for the first offence under the Act, with the Chief Officer issuing a warning to the establishments that they will attract a fine of Rs 5000 for the second offence, adding that subsequent offences would attract a fine of Rs 25,000. The housing societies were fined Rs 200 for the first offence.
“The MMC is on a mission to collect segregated waste across the city from commercial and residential premises. However, my office has received complaints from my staff and supervisors that business establishments and major housing societies do not hand over segregated waste. This means that all these establishments have violated the provisions of the Goa non-biodegradable Garbage (Control) Act, 1996,” he said.
To a question, Naik said that the day-long exercise personally monitored by him and his team has booked around 16 cases, adding that the drive will be continued vigorously in the coming days. “Under the guise of handing dry waste, these establishments were also mixing wet waste, thus violating the law.
The erring establishments will not go unpunished,” he warned. While issuing an appeal to the citizens, including commercial establishments to join hands with the MMC to supply only segregated waste to the Sonsodo waste treatment plant, the Chief officer pointed out that the Civic body would continue the ongoing exercise of collection dry waste on Tuesdays and Fridays and wet waste everyday from the doorsteps of the households.
Besides Chief Officer Siddhivinayak Naik, Municipal Engineer Rajesh Desai, Sanitary inspector Sanjay Sangelkar, Supervisors Romio Fernandes and Israel were part of the team that cracked a whip against the violators.
