the goan I network
MAPUSA
In a move that could help tackle waste generated by high-rise buildings, the Siolim-Marna gram sabha on Sunday resolved to issue Occupancy Certificates (OC) to new buildings only after the builder/society sets up a waste recycle station within its compound.
It was also resolved that the recycle waste station would be jointly inspected and certified by the panchayat, sanitary inspector and the panchayat garbage committee.
Gregory D'Souza, a member of the panchayat garbage committee, informed that there were times when the panchayat and the garbage committee members had no clue whom to contact in buildings or large complexes.
"If we want to inform about some decisions taken by the panchayat on garbage segregation or any other matter pertaining to the village we do not know who to communicate to in such building complexes. The builder sells the flats to individuals and vanishes, leaving the local civic body in the lurch," D'Souza said. The gram sabha passed another resolution to henceforth urge builders to appoint a committee of flat owners with details like their names, address and phone numbers so that the panchayat can interact with the committee as authorized representatives.
With an aim to put proper garbage management system in place, Siolim-Marna Panchayat and My Siolim, a club of volunteers, have teamed up to tackle waste generated in the village.
So far the panchayat has been collecting dry garbage once a week and plans to start door-to-door collection of wet waste in future.
Member of the panchayat garbage committee and a volunteer of My Siolim, Gregory D'Souza, explained to the locals the effort put by the panchayat and My Siolim to tackle the garbage menace.
He said dry waste will be collected every Thursday between 9 am and 4 pm.
He also said leaflets with clear instructions of what dry waste comprises and mobile phone numbers of the garbage contractor, panchayat ward members and My Siolim representatives have been printed and distributed to every household.
D'Souza said for door-to-door collection to succeed, it was necessary to set up recycle garbage stations in every ward and building complexes.
Explaining the concept of recycle waste stations, he said three to four big garbage bins will be kept in one place, each slotted for dry, wet, medicine and glass waste.
"The segregated waste collected from door-to-door will be put in these bins, which will then be lifted by the garbage trucks from these stations," D'Souza said. He appealed to the people to provide small land to set up these recycle waste stations in every ward in the village.
