MARGAO
The first meeting of the 15-member panel constituted by the South Goa district Collector to examine the entire gamut of issues plaguing the SGPDA markets, including waste management, was marked by the absence of key departments, with representatives of the SGPDA and Margao Municipal Council (MMC), besides PWD conspicuous by their absence.
The meeting, chaired by panel chairman and Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Ganesh Barve, was held at the Matanhy Saldanha Administrative Complex on Thursday. The absence of the SGPDA and MMC was particularly felt during discussions on waste management, as the MMC is responsible for lifting waste generated at the SGPDA market.
When contacted to ascertain whether notices had been issued to the SGPDA and MMC for the first meeting, Barve said prior notices had been sent to all members of the panel, including representatives of NGOs.
The presence of the SGPDA, which owns the mega retail market, and the MMC, which is involved in lifting garbage from the market complex, was considered crucial to addressing the persistent waste management problem.
Following the first meeting, the panel was scheduled to conduct a joint inspection of the market complex. However, with the intervening Ganesh Chaturthi festivities, sources said the inspection may now take place only after a fortnight.
Sources said a concrete solution to the waste collection issue could emerge only after the joint inspection is conducted and the panel chairman convenes further discussions.
The persistent stench and unhygienic conditions at the mega market complex have raised concerns, particularly as the facility houses fish, vegetable, fruit and meat stalls.
This is despite several inspections conducted by various agencies. These include a joint inspection by the Consumer Council and the Health Department in June, an inspection by the Taluka-level Committee headed by Margao SDM Ganesh Barve under the Supreme Court’s guidelines on solid waste management, and an inspection last week by government officials led by PWD Minister Digambar Kamat.
