Team Herald
MARGAO: With the rising garbage menace in Margao, the residents of Margao Municipal Council (MMC) jurisdiction have called on the MMC to encourage composting of waste at the source.
“Treating waste at the source using various methods like vermicomposting, biogas digesters, BSFL composting or methods feasible have to be encouraged. MMC will then be left with the dry waste collection, which includes plastics that have to be compulsory picked up,” said Fatima D’silva from Margao.
Locals also hit back at MMC for trying to put the blame on locals, pointing out that they have been segregating waste at the source but that it gets mixed up when it is picked and later transported to the Sonsoddo dump site.
“MMC has to educate the staff collecting garbage first before then talk about locals segregating,” said Vivek Naik, from Margao town.
With the Director of Municipal Administration also pushing for a decentralized solution, locals have said it is also important for the authorities to create more awareness on the issue.
They have also urged the government to look into the problems arising due to the dump site at Sonsoddo such as the spread of vector-borne diseases. “
“All the stakeholders involved have failed as otherwise today we would not have reached to this situation. If MMC doesn’t get their act together, then there will be a major backlash, “said a resident who lives near Sonsoddo.
Elsewhere, the garbage left at the SGPDA retail market has irked the residents who question the MMC on its effort to clean the city. Pointing out that heaps of garbage can be seen in this area, they have wondered if the same will be segregated first before it is picked up and transported to the garbage dump site.
