MAPUSA
The black spots have resurfaced in Mapusa as people continue to dump waste in the open even as the civic body has been found wanting in lifting garbage from some places for months together.
Around two years back, the Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) had identified 14 black spots and beautified the area by embedding ornamental plants at the spot.The council has also displayed boards/banners requesting the public not to dump garbage at such spots. However, citizens were found dumping waste a little away from the beautified spot pouring cold water on the efforts of the civic body.
The MMC had issued several warnings asking people not to dump waste in the open space. The civic body even deputed municipal inspectors to identify the offenders and issue stiff fines against them.But all these efforts have so far failed to deter the people from dumping waste in the open.
Incidentally, at some places the civic body has failed to collect the waste dump for more than two months.According to an eyewitness, people from neighbouring villages travelling in their vehicles fling plastic bags filled with waste at the spot and speed away.
Several locals have also revealed that some hoteliers dump waste in the open under the cover of darkness.
“People from neighbouring villages come to the city with their waste in plastic and dump it at the open space. These people are incorrigible. We complained to the civic authorities but no one appears to pay heed to our request to clear the spot,” said Xavier Fernandes, a resident of Gaunsavaddo, Mapusa.
Chief Officer of Mapusa, Sitaram Sawal informed that the council was regularly clearing the waste dumped in the open places but for the last two months the civic body faced a problem due to staff crunch.
“So far no one has brought this garbage problem to my notice. Some of our staff were deputed for election duty and therefore we faced a little problem in the last two months or so,” Sawal said. He said efforts would be made to lift the waste at the earliest.
It may be recalled, the High Court of Bombay at Goa, which was monitoring the garbage issue vis-Ã -vis the black spots, had then praised the Mapusa civic body for having tackled the problem of black spots in its jurisdiction.
The High Court had also urged the civic body to continue taking effective steps, so that the menace of black spots does not recur within its jurisdiction.
