PANJIM: In a bid to achieve its aim of making Goa ‘garbage-free’ by 2020, the recently constituted Goa State Waste Management Corporation (GSWMC) has decided to rope in religious institutions like Churches and the self help groups (SHGs) to spread awareness about the need for clean Goa.
The Corporation also intends to launch a ‘helpline’ number where people can call and complain about garbage nuisance either in their own village or locality or wherever they see waste being dumped and not lifted by the concerned authorities.
Speaking to HERALD, Deputy Speaker and director of the Corporation Michael Lobo said that the Corporation has decided to seek help from church authorities to spread message on how to keep their villages, surroundings clean. “With the help of church, we would hold seminars there creating awareness on garbage-free Goa,” he said.
“We would be also training the SHGs to spread awareness on keeping Goa clean,” Lobo said adding that school, higher secondary and college students would be also roped in, in our mission.
“We have promised to make Goa garbage-free by 2020 and it is not the sole responsibility of the government. People need to understand that their contribution is uttermost important,” the director said.
The Corporation has decided to collect accurate data about the garbage generation and segregation across the state. The government is currently bereft of any accurate data as multiple agencies like Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) (highway garbage), tourism department (beach waste), municipalities and panchayats are involved in the work.
Lobo said that during the last meeting held last week, it is resolved that on pilot basis, Corporation through a contractor will collect, segregate and transport waste from the nine panchayats along the north Goa coastal belt, showing them the mechanism to be adopted to handle garbage menace.
The nine panchayats include Penha-de-France, Salvador do Mundo and Soccoro in Porvorim, Pilerne, Saligao and Sangolda VP in Saligao and Arpora, Calangute and Candolim in Calangute.
