MARGAO
The South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) is back on the scanner, this time over the unattended mounds of waste in the PDA mega retail market.
Over a month ago, the PDA came under the lens of the South Goa District Magistrate over the piled up waste in the retail market, with the district Magistrate Jyoti Kumari issuing directions to the planning body to lift away the waste and plug the waste water flowing into the adjoining nullah.
Now, sources said after the PDA knocked the doors of the Margao Municipal Council for lifting of the piled up waste in the mega market, the civic body has taken the stand that the planning body should segregate the mixed and unsorted waste before its workers clear the market waste.
In fact, a senior Margao Municipal official informed that being a bulk waste generator, the SGPDA should at least put bare minimum facility and segregate the increasing waste before the civic body lifts the waste. “The law mandates bulk waste generators to set up facility for waste treatment and disposal. The SGPDA mega retail market falls under the bulk waste generator category and hence is mandated to have its own waste disposal facility to treat the daily waste. We have no issue in collecting the waste generated in the PDA market, but the least the PDA should do is to segregate the daily waste before the civic body lifts away the waste for disposal,” informed a senior MMC official.
A visit to the SGPDA retail market on Monday has revealed the worsening conditions, with waste piled up at least at three places for want of timely disposal.
The PDA open ground adjoining the market, which plays host to exhibitions and programmes, has turned an eyesore. Monday saw stray cattle feasting on the uncollected waste, giving a bad look, indicating that all isn’t well on the waste collection front.
That’s not all. A ride down the mega retail market has revealed a disturbing scenario. A new waste dump is in the making along the market periphery right opposite the meat stalls. A look at the dump revealed that the waste has not been lifted away from the site for days now.
A further ride towards the fish cutting shed showed that the waste dump has not been cleared yet by the PDA or the MMC till date.
A frequent shopper in the retail market pointed out that the situation does not augur well for a planning body such as the SGPDA. “When waste remains uncollected for days together, it gives a sorry picture and poses a health hazard to the visitors,” he said.
When The Goan contacted the SGPDA Member Secretary Shaikh Ali to shed light on the waste menace in the PDA retail market, he said he would immediately verify the situation and ensure that the waste is disposed of immediately. Pointing out that the SGPDA had tied up with the Margao Municipality for the collection and disposal of waste, Ali said the PDA will speak to the civic officials.
Margao Municipality Sanitary Inspector Viraj Arabekar conceded that the civic body is required to clear the waste generated in the PDA retail market. He, however, hastened to add that the PDA should give the segregated waste to the MMC waste collectors given its status as the bulk waste generator. “A bulk waste generator is mandated to treat its own waste and dispose of the same. Here, we are not asking the PDA to treat and dispose of its waste, but want the PDA to at least segregate the waste before the same is lifted away by the civic body,” he said.
Over a month ago, the district Collector Jyoti Kumari, during inspection of storm water nullahs carrying sewage and waste water into the river Sal, had called upon the SGPDA to clear the waste dump in the market and plug the waste water discharge in the adjoining storm water nullah.
