MARGAO
In a bid to tackle garbage dark spots head-on, the Margao Municipal Council has decided to come out with a pilot project from next week wherein the civic body will accept segregated waste on the payment of money at designated spots.
The decision was taken on Monday after a meeting with the government-appointed Administrator Prasanna Acharya and Chief Officer Agnelo Fernandes.
The duo also discussed the issue of restoring the heritage MMC building to its pristine glory by approaching the Director of Municipal Administration to take up the work of its painting.
The meeting between the Administrator and the Chief Officer also discussed ways and means to streamline the administration, more so in the areas of issuance of birth and death documents.
If MMC officials are to be believed, the decision to accept segregated waste on payment of money will be given a try in a bid to rid the city from the dark spots.
MMC Chief Officer Agnelo said that the pilot project will be given a try from next week, wherein those who want to hand over their segregated waste will have to do so at the PDA market where a truck and manpower will be deployed for the work.
“The pilot project aims at getting rid of the garbage dark spots in the city. Instead of people just throwing their waste across the city, the municipality will be creating a facility wherein people can just come and hand over dry and wet waste on payment of money,” he said.
The Chief Officer said the civic body will put a system in place wherein those handing over waste on a regular basis can be charged on a monthly basis.
On the painting of the MMC building, both the Administrator and the Chief Officer have decided to take up the work on a priority basis. Given that the painting work had figured in one of the tenders, which later came under the scanner of the Lokayukta, sources said the civic body will not write to the DMA seeking permission to proceed with the tender.
In fact, the Administrator said the civic body will take suitable steps to restore the municipal building to its pristine glory with a coat of the original brick-red paint.
Taking cognizance of the serpentine queue of citizens at the office of the birth and death sections, the meeting between the Administrator and the Chief Officer discussed measures on how to streamline the system, including taking measures by deploying additional manpower.
Sources said that Prasanna Acharya has decided to devote time in the MMC every day, apart from his duties as the Member Secretary of the Ravindra Bhavan, Margao.
