the goan I network
MARGAO
Conceding that the Margao Municipal Council has been able to segregate only 40 per cent of waste generated in the commercial capital, Chairperson Babita Prabhudesai on Thursday called upon stakeholders, including hoteliers, medical practitioners and households, to cooperate with the civic body to resolve the waste imbroglio.
Babita disclosed plans to soon hold a meeting with city hoteliers and eatery owners, followed by a meeting with representatives of the Indian Medical Association, Margao unit, to ensure that waste from these establishments is handed over to the civic body as per the laid down norms.
She also unveiled plans to start night pick-up service to lift dry/wet waste from the hotels.
While reiterating that the civic body will not lift unsegregated waste from hotels, the MMC Chairperson disclosed plans to set up a small bio-composting unit at the Gandhi Market to treat the waste generated there.
Addressing the media in the presence of Vice-chairperson Tito Cardozo and Chief Officer Sidhivinayak Naik in the municipal hall, Babita complimented the Chief Officer for taking up the solid waste management work as a mission by personally implementing the measures on the ground. “There are some hotels like the Krishna Hotel, which has started handing over segregated waste, while others have failed to do so. We would like to tell these hotels that the civic body will not pick up waste from these hotels,” she warned.
While making a fervent plea to the hotels and eateries to hand over segregated waste to the civic body, Babita said the civic body is out to help the hoteliers to overcome their issues.
To a question, she pointed out that around 40 per cent of the waste generated in the city is being segregated primarily because of the outsourcing of the work in the 11 municipal wards. “The percentage can still go up if there’s cooperation between the civic body and the public,” she said.
On the Sonsodo front, the Chairperson said that post the visit of Deputy Chief Minister Vijai Sardesai, the MMC will soon have discussions with Fomento how to go about resolving issues concerning waste.
She took the opportunity to brief the media on the inspection conducted by the municipal officials of the storm water nullahs carrying sewage water to the river Sal. “We have identified four storm water nullahs at the Old Market, SGPDA, Sirvodem, Osia which have been found discharging waste water into the river Sal,” she added.
