MARGAO: Taking serious cognisance of dry plastic waste finding its way into the water bodies for want of a mechanism in place for waste collection during the village festivities, the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) on Friday issued a slew of directions to the Colva Panchayat to put a system in place not just to tackle the plastic waste but also make provision for chemical toilets for the benefit of the vendors.
Inspection of the area which played host to the festivities at Colva based on a complaint lodged by the Colva Civic and Consumer Forum revealed that the dry waste generated during the festival is thrown into the water bodies and that no toilet facilities are provided, thereby causing nuisance and health hazard to the residents. The inspection report indicates that the panchayat has not made any provision for disposal of the waste generated due to such festivals.
The GSPCB has now asked Colva Panchayat to enforce rule on use of plastic bags and disposal of the same prior to giving permission for setting up the stalls for all future events in the panchayat area.
Moreover, the panchayat has been asked to set up a solid waste collection system with a duty cast on the Panchayat to collect the waste. While saying that dry waste collected can be handed over to the solid waste management committee, it has called for measures to encourage the vendors to use cloth or paper bags for sale of their items.
That’s not all. The Board has asked the Panchayat to lay bins at close distances for disposal of waste in a segregated manner along the entire road length for which the stalls are installed, and thereafter collected by Panchayat and stored in proper shed/premises. “Awareness should be created prior to the festival through print media or others, regarding responsible protection of the environment and disposal of waste”, the GSPCB told the Panchayat, while insisting on making a provision for chemical toilets on all days of the feast.
The Village Panchayat has been further directed to ensure that the provision of the Rural Garbage Scheme and the direction of the Hon ‘ble High Court at Bombay at Goa as passed in SMWP/2/2007 are strictly complied with.
The district Collector, South has been asked to initiate action against the Panchayat body for its failure to implement the Rural Garbage Scheme.
Attention of the Director of Panchayat has also been drawn by the GSPCB to Colva Panchayat’s failure to implement the scheme.
