TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: The formal launch of Margao’s door-to-door waste collection exercise at the hands of Urban Development Minister, Francis D’Souza was hit by a major row with the MLA of Margao Digambar Kamat and Fatorda Vijai Sardesai, along with the opposition MMC councillors boycotting the inaugural function at the Ravindra Bhavan on Saturday.
Both Kamat and Sardesai and the opposition councillors stayed away from the function in protest against what they called the failure of the civic body to take them into confidence. An annoyed Kamat told Herald that he was invited by the chief officer Narayan Sawant for the function at 9 am on Saturday, just an hour-and-a-half before the function. “There cannot be politics when a good project like door-to-door waste collection is being launched in the city. As member of the Task Force, I and Vijai Sardesai were always insisting on early implementation of the door-to-do waste collection system. But, it is indeed sad to note that neither the two MLAs nor all the 20 councillors were taken into confidence,” Kamat charged.
Opposition Councillor Damu Shirodkar said the door-to-door waste collection system is nothing but chaos due to the ill handling by the civic body. ‘There’s no system in place as far as the bins and manpower is concerned. Though the councillors were asked to suggest names of the workers, many of them were not considered by the civic body on political considerations,” he said.
In his address, the Urban Development Minister said though the two local MLAs have not turned up for the launch, he exuded confidence that both Kamat and Sardesai are fully supporting the cause.
While underlining the need to create awareness on waste segregation at source, D’Souza said door-to-door waste collection will help the functioning of the proposed 100 ton garbage treatment plant expected to be operations within a year’s time.
Incidentally, D’Souza favoured continuance of waste bins on the city’s border with neighbouring villages. “If waste from the villages finds its way in the bins on the city’s border, the same waste will spread across the city if the bins are withdrawn. I do not think police will be able to check flow of village waste into the city bins. I do not think there’s any harm if the bins continue at the same place for another year or so when the 100 ton plant will go into operation within a years time,” he said.
Director of Municipal Administration, Elvis Gomes called upon the civic body to involve citizens group in solid waste management, while MMC Chairperson Gonzaco Rebello said the Margao Municipality is determined to ensure the smooth functioning of the door-to-door waste collection programme. Vice-chairperson Dadi Mayenkar, MMC Chief Officer Narayan Sawant, Councillor Arthur D’Silva, former MMC Chairperson Savio Coutinho, Gunaji Desai and GSUDA Consultant Gaurav Pokle also spoke.
