PANJIM: The recent decision taken in principle to entrust the beach cleaning contract to the newly-constituted Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC), is likely to trigger a bitter rift between the Corporation and Tourism Department that is currently handling management of beach cleaning.
The possibility of the rift has already reached Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s door, who needs to delicately balance between keeping ally MGP in good humour as well as allow Calangute MLA Michael Lobo, the political director of the corporation a free hand to let this newly formed corporation meet its mandate. Parrikar is also the Chairman of the Goa Waste Management Corporation.
Reliable sources told Herald that Tourism Minister Manohar (Babu) Azgaonkar insisted that the department retains the management of beach cleaning, whereas the Corporation is keen to take over the project, as it feels the former is incompetent to handle the system.
Azgaonkar refused to speak on the issue merely saying, “Let the Corporation take a decision. I will act accordingly.”
On the other hand, Deputy Speaker and GWMC Director, Michael Lobo, expressed confidence in handling the project efficiently. “As a director, I feel the Corporation is ready to take the responsibility to handle all kinds of waste, including the garbage generated on the beaches. We can efficiently handle it but the Chairman will take a final decision,” he told Herald explaining that all kinds of waste collection under a single department will ensure accountability. “The waste management corporation was formed to keep Goa free of garbage and to achieve the goal of making Goa garbage free by 2020,” he added.
Interestingly non-BJP MLAs and ministers are backing the Waste Management Corporation. The then opposition MLA and currently Minister in the Parrikar cabinet, Rohan Khaunte, had exposed massive irregularities in the beach cleaning contract. His expose, backed by documents and independent investigation, had led to Tourism Department finally terminating the services of the contractors during the tenure of Laxmikant Parsekar as CM. Khaunte had moved the Goa Lokayukta, where the matter is currently being investigated.
Town & Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai, who was vociferous about the issue demanding action into the Rs 14.80-crore scam, has also backed the Corporation.
“The corporation was basically formed to keep Goa garbage-free. It is a corporation solely dedicated to handle all kinds of waste, be it from the highways, municipal or panchayat level. This will ensure that one agency is responsible for it,” he said adding, “As we all know some agencies were involved in scams and loopholes in the implementation, we need to get rid of all this. It is my personal view that the waste management corporation should handle the beach cleaning.”
One of the biggest stakeholders, Travel and Tourism Association of Goa, has said that since Tourism Department failed in the initiative, GWMC should handle the contract. “Since the department failed earlier to manage the beach cleaning, and they also do not have the required experience and manpower, I feel it should go back to the GWMC,” TTAG President Savio Messias said.
TTAG expressed its disappointment with the latest move to reportedly retain the contract with the Tourism Department.
GWMC constituted under the Chief Minister held its first meeting on April 20, wherein an in-principle approval was given to impose a fine on littering in public places by making necessary amendments to the existing Waste Management Act. The meeting also discussed how to handle and treat different kinds of waste like plastics, food, medical and e-waste besides beach cleaning.
