MMC, other councils get rap on knuckles from HC

HALL OF SHAME
(Municipalities with black spots)
MORMUGAO: 38
QUEPEM: 23
PONDA: 22
CUNCOLIM: 07
CURCHOREM: 06
MARGAO: 05
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HC ON MORMUGAO
>> In the first place, having 38 black spots within the jurisdiction is itself unacceptable. This indicates that the Council is not at all serious in discharging its civic duties
ON MARGAO
>> The Council was quite lethargic on the issue of eradication of the black spots. Therefore, now if there is no compliance, we will be constrained to take a very serious view
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ROUND OF APPLAUSE
The Chief Officers of Pernem, Bicholim and Sanguem Municipal Councils have filed affidavits stating that there are no black spots now to be found within their respective jurisdictions
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PANAJI: The Bombay High Court at Goa pulled up several municipal councils including the Mormugao, Margao, Ponda, Quepem Municipal Councils for failing to tackle the garbage issue and eradicating the black spots in their respective areas.
Hearing a bunch of petitions concerning the the status of solid waste management in the State, the High Court found that according to the affidavits filed that the Mormugao Municipal had the highest number of black spots but was doing little to control it.
“In the first place, having 38 black spots within the jurisdiction of Mormugao Municipal Council is, itself, unacceptable. This indicates that the Council is not at all serious in discharging its civic duties. Clearing the waste/garbage at the black spots, is really not a solution to transform or eradicate such black spots. The least that is expected from the Mormugao Municipal Council is to come up with a scheme for door-to-door collection of garbage/waste and in the interim, to at least provide for proper receptacles (dustbins) at these spots, so that the garbage/waste is not littered in haphazard manner,” the High Court ruled.
The Chief Officer had told the court that the MMC has resolved to approach the business corporates to undertake the work of beatification of the black spots as a part of their CSR activities and that the that 38 black spots are being cleared on daily basis, a reply the court found unsatisfactory.
Similar directions were issued to the municipal councils of Quepem which claimed 23 black spots, Ponda which said there were 22 black spots, Cuncolim Municipal Council reported seven black spots, Curchorem-Cacora which claimed six black spots, Margao five black spots and others.
With regard to Margao, the High Court noted that even in the past, “the Margao Municipal Council was quite lethargic on the issue of eradication of the black spots.”
“Therefore, now if there is no compliance, we will be constrained to take a very serious view in the matter,” the court ruled.
Others like the Sakhali Municipal Council reported seven black spots of which four they said were cleared and the Valpoi Municipal Council reported two black spots.
The Chief Officers of Pernem, Bicholim and Sanguem Municipal Councils have filed affidavits stating that there are no black spots now to be found within their respective jurisdictions.
“This is appreciated. The respective Municipal Councils, as well as the Director of Municipal Administration, to ensure that this position continues,” the High Court said.
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High Court praises
Mapusa Council
PANAJI: The Bombay High Court at Goa was effusive in praise for the Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) for having tackled the problem of the black spots in its jurisdiction and asked other municipalities especially Margao and Quepem to follow the example of Mapusa.
“The Councils should seriously consider the steps to transform or eradicate such black spots, perhaps by taking lead from the Mapusa Municipal Council’s efforts by beautifying such spots by putting up small gardens,” the court said.
The Mapusa Municipal Council filed an affidavit stating that that 14 erstwhile black spots have been converted/transformed into beautiful spots by doing beatification of such areas. The Council has also displayed board/banners requesting the public not to dump any garbage/waste at such spots.
“Some photographs have been annexed to the affidavit, indicating the position before the beautification and thereafter. From the photographs, it is apparent that the Mapusa Municipal Council has really taken effective steps for clearing the black spots within its jurisdiction,” the court observed.
“We urge the Mapusa Municipal Council to continue to take effective steps, so that the menace of black spot does not recur within its jurisdiction,” the High Court said.