the goan I network
MARGAO
Asserting that outsourcing of door-to-door waste collection is an answer to waste segregation, the Margao Municipal Council on Friday have called upon government agencies including the Goa State Solid Waste Corporation, Goa State Pollution Control Board to come out with a proper policy to address the waste problem in a holistic manner.
Saying that MMC’s efforts to address the burning waste problem is negated by tons of waste finding its way at the Sonsodo site from the adjoining villages, the civic body has sent a clear message to the solid waste corporation to work out a mechanism in the panchayat areas bordering the commercial capital to tackle garbage.
While the civic body maintained that it is all in favour of outsourcing of waste collection door-to-door, the City Fathers pointed out that agencies such as Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA) should be prompt in making available infrastructure, including vehicles and bins for the waste segregation exercise.
At a meeting between the MMC councillors and GSUDA consultant Gaurav Pokle and Assistant Manager, Goa State Solid Waste Corporation in the civic body on Friday evening, a visibly upset MMC Chairperson Babita Prabhudesai was blunt in telling the GSUDA and GSSWC officials that piecemeal efforts to tackle garbage will not solve the issue. “The Pollution Board talks about a ban on plastic bags. At the same time, a factory manufacturing so called bio-degradable plastic bags have got approval from the Pollution Board. This isn’t going to take us anywhere,” Babita said.
She also demanded to know what facility has been made available by the agencies, including the Pollution Board to handle the city’s bio-medical waste, e-waste, hotel waste, construction debris, and waste generated from the scrapyards, which are not supposed to operate in the city,” she asked.
When the issue of working of the waste treatment plant at Sonsodo came up for discussion when the MMC chairperson suggested that the concessionaire should deploy workers for segregation, Fomento Green officials maintained that the company has till date pumped in around Rs 25 crore at the Sonsodo site, but lamented that they have been paid only one installment of Rs 1.30 crore till date, prompting the MMC chairperson to promise to release the cheque of Rs 2.40 crore next week. Fomento officials also presented to the civic body with photographic evidence the work being carried out at Sonsodo.
The MMC chief also made a strong case for two additional compactors under the 14th Finance Commission, besides purchase of seven rickshaws for waste segregation and recruitment of additional manpower. Babita also asked GSUDA to sanction three organic waste converters to be installed at the Municipal markets to treat vegetable and fish waste. The officials said Margao would soon receive a bailing machine to handle the plastic waste.
GSUDA consultant Gaurav Pokle suggested that the Solid Waste Management Corporation should call a meeting of the panchayats surrounding the Margao Municipal area and find out their problems, including the place where they dispose of their waste. “Margao cannot succeed on the waste management front unless the villages set up their own mechanism to handle waste,” he added.
