MARGAO
In a major development that may further aggravate the handling of waste collection and disposal at the South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA)-owned mega retail market, the Margao Municipal Council has told the PDA to either deposit the outstanding amount of Rs 1.12 crore or else warned to discontinue the garbage collection service from the retail market.
In a notice dashed off to the SGPDA Member secretary on Monday, Margao Municipal Chief Officer Manuel Barretto told the PDA to deposit the outstanding amount of Rs 1,12,14,500. The MMC Chief Officer reminded the Member Secretary that the PDA via a letter dated December 20, 2021, requested the planning body to deposit the outstanding amount pegged at Rs 1.12 crore, but in vain. A copy of the December 20, 2021 letter has been attached with the latest letter.
What prompted the MMC to raise the demand for the payment after two years remains unknown. It’s also not known whether the civic body will stick to its warning and discontinue the service of waste collection from the SGPDA retail market.
The MMC Chief Officer has further reminded the SGPDA Member Secretary that the SGPDA retail market falls in the category of bulk waste generator and therefore the PDA has to manage its waste by the Solid Waste Management rules.
It’s, however, clear from the letter that the waste was not effectively segregated in the retail market before reaching the MMC.
“It is seen that the waste generated in the SGPDA retail market is not effectively segregated before handing it over to the Municipal Council for its final disposal as a result, the vendors of the SGPDA retail market tend to dump their waste in the surrounding area," MMC Chief Officer Barretto stated in the letter.
While drawing the attention of the SGPDA Member Secretary that since the waste has been generated from its market, the MMC Chief Officer requested the PDA to collect the waste in a segregated manner to facilitate the civic body to effectively collect the same.
That the Chief Officer referred to the minutes of the inspection conducted by the South Goa District Magistrate on December 12, 2022, wherein it found waste dumped around the PDA market and the liquid waste flowing into the adjoining Old market nullah without treatment.
The MMC collects the waste generated in the SGPDA retail market upon payment of fees @ Rs 5,500 per day. An outstanding amount of Rs 87 lakh was due by the SGPDA to the MMC towards the collection of waste from the PDA markets. The figure went up to Rs 1.12 crore after adding Rs 25 lakh up to November 2021.
Dumping, burning of garbage continues at SGPDA parking
MARGAO
The Margao Municipal Council’s letter to the South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) indicates the civic body will not lift the unsegregated waste lying undisposed at the PDA retail market.
The Goan had recently highlighted the waste problem at the PDA market. A portion of the piled-up waste dumped opposite the chicken and meat stalls was later set afire by unknown miscreants.
A visit to the PDA retail market on Monday revealed that fresh waste is now being dumped at the same spot where a fire engulfed the dump, indicating waste generated in the retail market is disposed of at the site.
Meanwhile, waste dumped at the corner of the PDA parking lot was engulfed by fire on Monday evening. Smoke was found billowing from the site after the waste was set afire by some miscreants. That no proper waste collection system is in place at the PDA parking lot became evident when the entire place resembled an eyesore.
