the goan I network
MARGAO
A meeting of concerned citizens held under the banner of Shadow Council of Margao in the city on the waste management crisis plaguing the commercial capital has unanimously resolved that the
Margao Municipal Council should immediately work out a solution to the dispute between Fomento and the council, keeping in mind the interest of the public.
The meeting adopted a host of resolutions with convenor of Shadow Council Savio Coutinho saying the resolutions will be handed over to the three MLAs, Deputy Chief Minister Vijai Sardesai, Margao MLA Digambar Kamat and Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco for appropriate action.
The meeting further resolved that the MMC should step up measures for “segregated waste collection & transportation” by engaging adequate manpower and vehicles. It was further resolved that the respective ward councillors should assist the municipal waste collectors to encourage and convince the people to hand over segregated waste.
Pointing out there’s a long pending dispute over the discrimination in taxation system of the council, SCM unanimously resolved that all the waste generators should be brought under the tax net.
In another resolution, the meeting unanimously resolved that the MMC should understand that both types of waste, dry and wet must be tackled with equal attention, saying this will eventually drastically reduce the rejects going to the landfill site.
Pointing out there are around 21 high schools, 7 higher secondary schools & 3 colleges within the jurisdiction of Margao, collectively generating huge quantity of waste, it was unanimously resolved that the MMC should work out a system with the institutions and their student bodies to encourage students to dispose waste in segregated form. Incentives may also be considered if necessary.
SCM convenor Savio Coutinho said the meeting further resolved that the MMC should handle the garden waste separately saying garden waste forms a huge quantity, which includes palm leaves, coconut husk, road side shrubs, branches, etc.
He pointed out that the meeting resolved that the MMC should formulate local committees to participate and assist in the waste management of the city. “Public participation in waste management system has proved an advantage all over the country. As such it is very important to involve like minded people in the planning and execution of waste management systems of the council,” he added.
Besides Coutinho, the meeting was addressed by Prof Sanjay Desai, Laurel Abranches, Felix Dias, E Carneiro, Rupesh Shinkre, Arvind Tengse and others.
