Waste dumped in gunny bags lying at the ground for days together.
MARGAO
As the waste disposal crisis at the South Goa Planning and Development Authority’s (SGPDA) mega retail market in Margao shows no signs of abating, the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) has knocked the doors of the South Goa District Collector seeking action against the planning authority under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
Escalating the issue, the MMC has drawn attention of the Collector that the SGPDA continues to dump mixed solid waste indiscriminately in the open at the SGPDA ground despite repeated complaints and representations from the civic body. The escalation assumes significance as the District Collectors have now been delegated powers under Section 5 of the Environment Protection Act by the Supreme Court under the new Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026 to deal with the garbage-related matters.
In its complaint to South Goa District Collector Egna Cleetus, MMC Chief Officer Madhu Narvekar described the situation at the SGPDA ground as a serious and continuing environmental and public health concern. The civic body alleged that the SGPDA has paid little heed to its earlier communications calling for the dumping practices to be stopped and for waste to be properly collected, segregated and disposed of.
The MMC claimed that mixed waste comprising domestic, commercial and plastic waste is being dumped in the open without segregation. The civic body has alleged that the practice is resulting in air and water pollution, with leachate from the waste seeping into the surrounding area.
The complaint further states that the open dumping is creating a public health hazard for residents in the vicinity. The accumulation of waste has reportedly resulted in foul odour and provides breeding conditions for mosquitoes, while the garbage also attracts stray animals.
Terming the continued dumping a clear violation of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026, as well as the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, the MMC has maintained that the situation is causing severe nuisance and posing a threat to the environment and public health in the surrounding area.
Civic body calls for immediate inspection
In its prayer to the District Collector, the MMC has sought an immediate inspection of the SGPDA ground to ascertain the situation on the ground and take appropriate action.
The civic body has requested the Collector to issue necessary directions to the SGPDA to immediately stop open dumping and ensure that waste generated at the market is collected, segregated and disposed of in accordance with the applicable rules.
More significantly, the MMC has called upon the Collector to initiate stern legal action against the SGPDA for what it has described as continued violations despite repeated complaints and prior representations.
The Chief Officer has specifically sought appropriate action under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The request places the onus on the district administration to intervene in the dispute and ensure compliance with environmental and solid waste management requirements.
MMC seeks GSPCB intervention 
Waste dumping near the fish market shed.
Even as the Margao Municipal Council has sought action by the South Goa district Collector to initiate action against the SGPDA, the civic body has also sent an SOS to the Goa State Pollution Control Board to intervene and stop the nuisance caused by the open dumping on the SGPDA ground.
Chief Officer Madhu Narvekar has requested the GSPCB Member Secretary to conduct an immediate inspection of SGPDA ground and issue necessary directions to SGPDA to stop open dumping and ensure proper collection, segregation of waste as per rules.
The Chief Officer has prayed to the GSPCB to initiate appropriate legal action for continued violation despite prior complaints.
The latest move by the MMC comes against the backdrop of attempts to resolve the garbage and hygiene-related problems at the SGPDA mega retail market through administrative intervention.
Margao MLA and PWD Minister Digambar Kamat had last week intervened in an effort to address the problems at the market and constituted a joint panel comprising officials from the SGPDA and the MMC.
The latest complaint has therefore taken the issue beyond a municipal dispute over waste management and placed it before the district administration as an alleged violation of environmental law.
SGPDA market faces BWG test under new waste rules
Mixed waste including thermocol waste dumped opposite the meat stalls.
MARGAO: Is the SGPDA mega market complex, which houses fish, vegetable, fruit and meat stalls, falls under the category of a Bulk Waste Generator (BWG) as per the latest Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026, given the quantum of waste generated at the facility every day.
This question is being raised in the corridors of the Margao Municipal Council and among stakeholders as to why the planning authority has not yet been directed by the authorities to take responsibility for managing the waste generated at the mega market in accordance with the new rules.
Margao Municipal Administrator Srinet Kothwale told The Goan on Sunday that the SGPDA mega market would “definitely” fall within the definition of a Bulk Waste Generator, considering the quantity of waste generated at the market on a daily basis.
Under the new Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026, Bulk Waste Generators include entities with a floor area of 20,000 square metres or more, water consumption of 40,000 litres per day or more, or solid waste generation of 100 kg or more per day.
The definition covers, among others, Central and State government departments, local bodies, public sector undertakings, institutions, commercial establishments and residential societies.
The new rules require Bulk Waste Generators to ensure that the waste generated on their premises is collected, transported and processed in an environmentally sound manner.
With the SGPDA mega market generating substantial quantities of wet and other waste from its fish, vegetable, fruit and meat sections, the question now being raised is whether the planning authority, as the agency responsible for the market complex, should be formally brought under the BWG framework and directed to put in place an appropriate system for segregation, collection, transportation and processing of the waste generated there.
