Residents, Panchayat members and local representatives on Friday raised serious concern over the growing menace of illegal garbage dumping near the Gavar power sub-station in Nachinola, warning that the situation could turn into a major health hazard during the upcoming monsoon season.
During an inspection at the site, residents said huge quantities of wet and mixed waste, including food items, plastic and household garbage, had been dumped by unknown persons along the roadside and inside the water drain. The area was filled with foul smell, maggots and worms, making it difficult for commuters to even pass through the route.
Resident of Carona, Salvador Fernandes, said that after opening one of the dumped bags he found decomposable wet waste including rice and leftover food items. “This waste could have been easily decomposed at home instead of being thrown on the roadside. The smell is unbearable and worms are already visible. This is dangerous for public health and people should stop dumping garbage irresponsibly,” he said. He appealed to the public to help keep the area clean and green.
Sarpanch of Nachinola, Laxman Kerkar, said the road serves as a shortcut connecting Bicholim, Mayem and Aldona, and because the area is isolated, people have been taking advantage of it to dump garbage. “Earlier too we had cleaned this place, but the Panchayat alone cannot continue clearing garbage while people keep dumping waste here. With the monsoon approaching, the garbage will float onto the roads and create a bigger problem,” he said, urging residents to dispose of their waste responsibly.
Environmental activist Natasha Parekh expressed shock over the condition of the water drain where large quantities of garbage had accumulated. She said organic waste such as rice, chicken and other food items had been dumped in plastic bags, resulting in maggots and unbearable stench. “This drain carries large amounts of rainwater and now the garbage has already blocked it. During heavy rains, the waste will flow into nearby ponds, fields and villages, polluting the water bodies as well,” she warned.
Village Development Committee member Devidas Natardekar said Nachinola is centrally located and connected to several neighbouring villages, making the route frequently used by commuters. “People use this isolated stretch to dump garbage despite every Panchayat having waste collection services. We even found identity proof among some of the waste, showing that locals themselves are involved,” he said. He urged people to hand over garbage to Panchayat collection vehicles instead of dumping it along the roadside.
Aldona MLA Adv Carlos Ferreira also visited the site and expressed concern over the worsening situation. “Even people travelling in air-conditioned cars can smell the stench from this area. If garbage continues to be dumped on roadsides, diseases will spread across villages, especially during heavy rains,” he said. Ferreira informed that CCTV cameras installed earlier had been damaged, and authorities have now decided to adopt a “name and shame” approach against offenders by publishing photographs of those caught dumping garbage illegally.
The MLA further said that he had contacted the Goa Waste Management Corporation and requested immediate cleaning of the area before the onset of the monsoon. He assured that both the Panchayat and interior areas of the constituency would be cleaned to prevent health and environmental risks.
Natasha Parekh further pointed out that irregular garbage collection schedules in some Panchayats, lack of segregation and poor civic sense were major reasons behind roadside dumping. “People must understand that garbage management is everyone’s responsibility. Waste needs to be segregated properly before being handed over for collection. Even the plight of waste collection workers is often ignored despite them handling hazardous waste daily,” she added.
Illegal Garbage Dumping at Gavar Raises Health Fears Ahead of Monsoon
