THE GOAN NETWORK
MAPUSA
Even as the Mapusa Municipal Council plans to streamline its door-to-door garbage collection system, the civic body continues to face a growing challenge in managing garden waste, with heaps of branches, leaves and other green waste frequently dumped along roadsides and at vacant public spaces across the town.
Municipal officials admitted that the shortage of collection vehicles has affected the timely lifting of garden waste from several locations. However, they also blamed residents for indiscriminately dumping green waste in public places instead of following the prescribed disposal procedure.
"People should keep their garden waste within their compounds and inform the municipality. We can send our vehicle to collect it. Unfortunately, many people dump it on roadsides and open spaces, creating an eyesore and causing inconvenience to the public," a senior municipal official told The Goan.
The official added that while the municipality collects garden waste on payment of the prescribed user charges, many residents either fail to avail of the service or dump the waste illegally to avoid paying the fee.
The civic body has appealed to residents to cooperate by disposing of garden waste responsibly, warning that indiscriminate dumping not only affects the town's cleanliness but also hampers municipal efforts to maintain public spaces.
