the goan I network
MARGAO
The Margao Municipal Council has decided to outsource collection of waste generated at the Sarvajanik Ganesh mandals this year to ensure efficient collection and disposal of waste during the 11 days Ganesh festivities.
This was decided at a meeting convened by Margao Municipal Chief Officer Sidhivinayak Naik with representatives of the Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandals across the city on Tuesday. The meeting was attended by Chairperson Babita Prabhudesai and councillors Damodar Naik, Terrance Barbosa and Jaffar Buddani.
Chairperson Babita Prabhudesai initially mooted a proposal to the representatives of Ganesh mandals to contribute fixed fees in lieu of the collection of waste from the mandals during the festivities.
The Municipality later decided that the civic body would collect the waste without any fees this year, but urged the representatives to consider contributing financially to the waste collection exercise from next year. The civic body also issued instructions to the mandals to place bins for the collection of wet and dry waste and help spread awareness on Swachh Bharat Mission around the mandals.
Chief Officer Sidhivinayak made an appeal to the mandals to ensure that plastic and thermocol decoration is not used during the festivities. He also reminded the mandal office bearers about the ban on plaster of Paris idols.
The Chief Officer later said that the civic body would move the file for outsourcing the waste collection at the mandals during the Ganesh Chathurti to ensure that there’s no problem of waste collection front during the 11 days festivities. “Every day, the contractor will go around the mandals and collect the waste from 4 pm to 11 pm. Special focus will be laid on clearance of waste and litter at all the immersion sites,” he added.
