PANJIM: The State government seems to be in no mood to disturb the powerful liquor industry in the State as the demand for banning glass bottles seems to have fallen on deaf ears.
The glass bottle menace appears to be getting dangerous as according to sources there are about 200 tonnes of glass waste generated every month. Worse still, the waste treatment facility at Saligao is now also finding it challenging to handle such glass bottles.
A source at the plant said that the broken glass bottles hamper the operations at the plant. “Many a time the bottles injure the workers who are manually segregating garbage,” he said.
Officials said that except for Kingfisher no other liquor company takes back bottles and as a result you can see broken bottles all over.
When Herald contacted Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC) Managing Director Sanjith Rodrigues he admitted glass bottles are an issue. “Treating of glass bottles in unsegregated waste is a huge challenge at our facility. Even ragpickers refuse to pick glass bottles. Imposing an alternative is one way forward,” he replied.
Officials at the GWMC said they had moved a proposal to Excise Department and the government to ban glass bottles and instead promote cans and tetra packs but nothing has been done so far.
“If they are not banned this could become a huge problem in the future. At least the government should impose some cess which goes to GWMC to handle the waste,” he said.
The issue is not only of the waste, but many tourists have complained of injuries as the bottles often cannot be seen in the sand on the beach. “There are instances of visitors cutting their feet on jagged glass ends which are strewn on the beaches. It has become difficult to walk on the sand barefoot, which is why we demanded a ban on carrying glass bottles on the beaches. Let the place be safe for every visitor,” Dy Speaker Michael Lobo, who is also a director of GWMC told Herald.
He said he had a meeting with the Tourism Director last year attended by Travel and Association of Goa, shack operators and others. To implement the system, Lobo proposed an amendment to the Tourist Trade Act in State Legislative Assembly.
Some coastal village a couple of years ago made similar demand to ensure visitors enjoy an injury-free stroll on the beaches.
When Herald put across the question to the Excise Commissioner he said the proposal is under consideration. “The matter is still under discussion/consideration. The pros and cons are being looked into (for an alternative solution to glass bottles). No decision has been taken by the government as of now,” said Amit Sathija, Commissioner Excise.
