KATHY PEREIRA
Efforts to tackle reckless dumping of garbage by the roadside in Canacona have been met by setbacks from some of the most unusual quarters.
While many in the tourism industry have been accused of clandestinely dumping garbage, those dumping garbage this time have been identified as foreigners.
According to locals, some foreign nationals involved in the tourism trade in Canacona taluka, especially at Agonda and Khola, regularly carry waste/garbage bags in their vehicles and clandestinely dump them by the roadside.
On three different occasions, this reporter saw foreign couples trying to offload garbage from their two-wheelers.
On Monday, a foreign pillion rider was seen carrying a garbage-filled bag along the Agonda-Canacona road. With the foreign woman clutching the bag, the rider was seen riding slowly along the extreme left of the road. The lady tried to drop the bag on several occasions, but was forced to abandon the move as vehicles were closely trailing them.
This went on for at least 3 to 4 kms along the Agonda-Canacona road and after realizing that someone was deliberately trailing them, the couple rode away and crossed a CMC garbage vehicle that was entering the Dumane Garbage Treatment Plant.
The couple finally stopped their two-wheeler near the CMC garbage bins at the Agonda-Palolem junction at Devabhaga and deposited their garbage bag in one of the bins.
“There have been complaints that a few foreign nationals engaged in the tourism trade have been throwing garbage by the roadside. Why can’t they follow the same cleanliness which is zealously followed in their native countries,” asked CMC chairperson Simon Rebello.
“We have been striving to bring about awareness among our own people, but now we have been forced to ask natives of some developed countries to follow their rules regarding cleanliness here too,” he added.
