Team Herald
PONDA: Kavlem sarpanch and the panchayat staff caught red handed, the driver and workers of a Ponda businessman while dumping garbage from a rickshaw in the village and fined them Rs 5000 under Section 3 of Garbage Disposal Act, 1996.
On Tuesday at around 2 pm, Sarpanch Rajesh Kavlekar and his staff were patrolling to check garbage menace when they were informed that a rickshaw was unloading dry waste at Bythokhol near Dhavlim in Kavlem Panchayat jurisdiction.
Following this, the sarpanch and his staff rushed to the spot and caught red handed the rickshaw driver Shrikant Borkar and two labourers dumping garbage.
Later, the sarpanch informed about the incident to Ponda Block Development Officer (BDO) Prasidh Naik, who rushed to the site. On questioning, the driver said that the dry waste belonged to a Ponda businessman Diamondkar.
Therefore, the panchayat secretary fined Diamondkar Rs 5000 under section 3 of Goa Non Biodegradable Garage (Control) 1996 Act. It is learnt that the dry waste also comprised of expired rice and wheat.
The sarpanch regretted that despite the Ponda municipality implementing a wet and dry garbage collecting system, Diamnodkar’s workers were found dumping dry garbage in Kavlem panchayat jurisdiction.
Sarpanch Kavlekar said that the panchayat has been collecting dry and wet garbage separately to maintain the panchayat area clean. “But outsiders are causing menace to the locals by throwing garbage in the panchayat are either through vehicles or during morning walk,” he complained.
