From the six tasks, only three tasks have been acted upon. While the tarpaulin cover on the sonsoddo dump had to be placed during the monsoon period, the high powered coordination committee chaired by Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar had taken a decision to allow the scientific capping of the dump. The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) is supervising the process and a consultant has already been appointed by a tender process that was carried out by nodal agency – Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA). GSUDA will be funding the same.
The third task is regarding the monitoring committee as per the directions of the high court which has been constituted and a subcommittee that is chaired by the chief officer has already been formed. However the Margao Municipality had formed a solid waste management cell that has ceased to operate and there have been calls for the formation of a new cell and MMC level cell.
From the remaining three tasks, the council failed to hold a special meeting to resolve door to door garbage collection even though the civic society had formally appealed to the chief officer and council to hold such a meeting. The Margao Civic Alliance panel of 18 councillors stated that garbage would be their top priority and said that the council would be taking up this matter after the council is officially formed.
Speaking to Herald, Chairperson Dr Babita Angle said that garbage management was a strong point in the manifesto and that the council would discuss the matter when its meet in its official capacity. It is to be noted that the citizens at the Margao declaration had demanded that special meeting be convened to discuss only the garbage issue.
The council tentatively has set a target of three months to sort out all the matters regarding garbage collection. There are various issues that need to be looked at and one of them is also payment of the labour workers. However, besides door to door garbage collection the council has decided to propose to set up a garbage helpline to collect waste strewn on roads and near residential areas”. A public panel to ideate on various issues concerning the city ahs also been mooted
Speaking on Sonsoddo, the new Chairperson Dr Babita Angle said that as there were outside agencies also involved as per the existing structure it was important for the council to analyze all the matter before them and move forward after arriving at a consensus.
The council has decided to outsource the door to door garbage collection, as per the decision taken at the HPCC meeting and the same would be expedited. Fomento Green CEO Shridhar Kamat also added that work towards the construction of the landfill site had already started as they have all the clearances and monsoon period was over and that the council would soon be updated on that progress.
He added that the supply of segregated garbage to the treatment plant is of critical importance and would ensure that the plant functions at its optimum levels. The HPCC had also increased the monthly door to door collection from residential areas to RS 50 from Rs 30.
