MARGAO
The Navelim village panchayat is all set to start collection of wet garbage in the village by roping in government empaneled garbage collection contractors.
At the Sunday gram sabha meeting, Sarpanch Paul Pereia informed the members that the panchayat has decided to go in for wet waste collection. He, however, said the garbage collection fees as well as the issue of lifting up garbage from tenanted rooms will be decided at a later stage.
The Sarpanch informed that it is high time that the Panchayat go for wet waste collection in view of the garbage dumping along the western bypass stretch and in the light of the Supreme Court and NGT’s directions on waste collection.
Saying the process initiated by the Panchayat has reached the final stage, the sarpanch said the Panchayat is waiting for the list of empaneled contractors to take up the work. “The wet garbage collection will start once the Panchayat fixes the collection fees for the residents and the tenants staying in rented rooms”, he added.
Gram sabha members demanded that the Panchayat impose three times waste collection fees on the tenants staying in the village. A gram sabha member pointed out that tenants staying in rented rooms are disposing of their waste at Tolleaband near Sirvodem.
Gram sabha members drew attention of the chair to the reckless road digging being carried out byt the agencies and demanded that the Panchayat send a notice to the district Collector to direct the contractors to restore the roads. Sarpanch Paul explained that roads in Navelim has been dug by three departments, Sewerage, Water supply and electricity to lay pipes and cables “The Panchayat will write to the collector to mandate the contractors to restore the roads at the earliest”, he said.
Members tried to corner the Sarpanch over the issue of website, saying the website has not been updated and is giving incorrect information. Paul, however, explained the situation to the change in the agency, saying the new agency appointed via quotations has failed to carry out proper work.
Members also demanded that the panchayat write to the authorities to ensure illumination of the western bypass road as well as the service roads.
Gram sabha member Antonio Alvares said that though the High Court had issued direction to various authorities in the Salpem lake contamination case, none of the agencies has taken steps to implement the directions till date.
