MARGAO
Waste management, including segregation of waste at source and revenue recoveries, will continue to top the agenda of the Margao Municipal Council in the new year, with the civic body planning to shift gears in a bid to resolve the two major issues plaguing the municipality.
Chief Officer Johnson Fernandes' proposal to procure 10 additional small vehicles to take waste segregation to the wards has found favour with the council, with Chairperson Babita Angle Prabhudesai giving her nod to buy the v
ehicles through the Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA).
On the recovery front, the Chief Officer's concerted drive to recover the huge outstanding tax arrears, running into Rs 16 crore, has begun to pay dividends, with the civic body recovering an amount of Rs 4-5 crore everyday on an average.
Chairperson Babita Angle Prabhudesai told The Goan on Monday that the civic body will continue to lay heavy stress on waste management and revenue recoveries in 2018. "The CO's measures to boost revenue recoveries have begun to show results. Fine tuning of the recovery mechanism will further boost revenue, which in turn will help the municipality to take up many a development project," Babita said.
"If we continue to go by the current rate of issuing the demand notices and effecting recoveries, the day is not far when the outstanding tax recoveries will come down drastically," she added.
On garbage management front, the MMC Chairperson said that she has given her nod for the procurement of 10 additional rickshaws for collection and transportation of waste to Sonsodo plant. Besides, she pointed out that the Council will soon procure an additional garbage compactor, which will help streamline waste transportation to the treatment plant.
Sources in the know, however, said that the CO's proposal to the TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai to make available two dedicated engineers, one working at Ponda and the other at Bicholim, to take the waste problem head-on, has not been agreed upon as yet. The CO, sources said, had asked for two dedicated engineers to handle the burning waste issue head on with their rich experience in waste collection and disposal.
Chief Officer Johnson, who was holding charge as South Goa Additional Collector-II, was roped in to the Margao municipality in place of Additional Collecor, Agnelo Fernandes, by TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai to resolve the two burning issues of waste management and revenue recoveries, with the promise that Johnson will return back to the Collectorate after putting in place the two issues.
On the recovery front, the Chief Officer's concerted drive to recover the huge outstanding tax arrears, running into Rs 16 crore, has begun to pay dividends, with the civic body recovering an amount of Rs 4-5 crore everyday on an average.
Chairperson Babita Angle Prabhudesai told The Goan on Monday that the civic body will continue to lay heavy stress on waste management and revenue recoveries in 2018. "The CO's measures to boost revenue recoveries have begun to show results. Fine tuning of the recovery mechanism will further boost revenue, which in turn will help the municipality to take up many a development project," Babita said.
"If we continue to go by the current rate of issuing the demand notices and effecting recoveries, the day is not far when the outstanding tax recoveries will come down drastically," she added.
On garbage management front, the MMC Chairperson said that she has given her nod for the procurement of 10 additional rickshaws for collection and transportation of waste to Sonsodo plant. Besides, she pointed out that the Council will soon procure an additional garbage compactor, which will help streamline waste transportation to the treatment plant.
Sources in the know, however, said that the CO's proposal to the TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai to make available two dedicated engineers, one working at Ponda and the other at Bicholim, to take the waste problem head-on, has not been agreed upon as yet. The CO, sources said, had asked for two dedicated engineers to handle the burning waste issue head on with their rich experience in waste collection and disposal.
Chief Officer Johnson, who was holding charge as South Goa Additional Collector-II, was roped in to the Margao municipality in place of Additional Collecor, Agnelo Fernandes, by TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai to resolve the two burning issues of waste management and revenue recoveries, with the promise that Johnson will return back to the Collectorate after putting in place the two issues.
