VASCO: In order to make the twin villages of Cortalim-Quelossim garbage free, all stake holders including Cortalim MLA and RDA Minister Alina Saldanha, Cortalim ZP member Antonio Vas, local panchayat and the villagers have joined hands.
The decision was taken during the formal launching of door-to-door garbage collection drive in Cortalim-Quelossim on Tuesday. The contractor appointed by the panchayat has been given the task of collecting waste door-to-door from households free of cost.
On the occasion, MLA Alina Saldanha first complemented few panchayats under Cortalim constituency for playing a proactive role and achieving success in making their village garbage free. However, she also raised her serious concerns over the increasing garbage menace at Zuari Nagar slums. She claimed that, mostly people who are roaming in posh cars have been dumping their garbage at Zuari Nagar.
“I have been striving hard to curb the garbage menace in whole of Cortalim constituency in phased manner and to some extend we have achieved success. Also it has been my dream to make Zuari Nagar slums garbage free, however I have personally seen several people roaming in posh cars, coming down to Zuari Nagar slum area, only to throw their garbage as they are aware that the people living in slums are poor and no one would question them for their illegal act. It is now for the people to question such people and raise their objection” she said.
She further said that “As the door-to-door garbage collection drive has again been started by the Cortalim-Quelossim panchayat, I have full faith that very soon these twin villages will set an example for rest of the State by becoming garbage free within the stipulated deadline period.”
Cortalim-Quelossim Sarpanch Hilario Figueiredo said that “After three long year’s gap we finally managed to identify the dumping site and finally we could appoint the contractor for door-to-door collection drive. The contractor will collect wet and dry waste separately from each household. If anyone gives mixed waste then the contractor will not accept the same.”
Cortalim ZP member Antonio Vas appealed to the villagers to extend their full cooperation for making the village garbage free by December 2016.
He said, “Garbage is one of the major problems in Cortalim-Quelossim. The panchayat has made a beginning to make the village garbage free and it is now the duty of each and every villager to extend his/her full cooperation to the contractor. Unless and until people cooperate, such drive will not produce results.”
