Team Herald
MARGAO: In a surprising turn of events, garbage has been found dumped in open areas within the residential locality of Aquem, despite the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) conducting door-to-door garbage collection.
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This has led to growing frustration among locals, who are now demanding stricter monitoring and better enforcement of the garbage collection system.
Residents have reported that, in recent days, a significant amount of waste has been left on the roadside near Royal Hospital in Aquem-Margao. This area, which has been a part of the municipality’s regular door-to-door collection schedule for several years, is now seeing the emergence of garbage “black spots”—areas where waste accumulates despite the council’s efforts.
This ongoing issue has created additional challenges for the MMC, which now has to work harder to clear the illegally dumped garbage from the roadside.
Pratima Naik, a concerned local resident, spoke to reporters about the situation. “These garbage black spots not only pose serious health hazards but also create a nuisance for the community,” she said.
She expressed doubt about the effectiveness of the door-to-door garbage collection in the area, suggesting that improper collection practices might be driving people to dispose of waste on the roadsides.
“The recent pile-up of garbage in the residential area raises serious concerns,” Naik added.
In response to the concerns, an official from the MMC stated that their contractor regularly collects garbage from households in the area, insisting that the door-to-door collection system is functioning
as intended.
However, the presence of these black spots suggests that either the system is not being fully enforced or some residents are bypassing the collection services.
The MMC has acknowledged the existence of nearly 50 black spots within its jurisdiction, with many located on the outskirts of Margao. The local authorities have been struggling for years to manage and reduce these waste hot spots, which continue to plague the municipality.
The growing frustration of residents like Naik underscores the need for more efficient monitoring and stricter enforcement of waste collection practices to address the persistent problem of illegal
garbage dumping.
