Team Herald
MARGAO: Despite regular door-to-door garbage collection and various efforts from the Municipal authorities, black spots along the roadsides continue to cause problems, creating a mess in several areas within and around the Margao Municipality.
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It has been revealed that the primary waste found at these black spots includes chicken waste, coconut shells, and discarded cloth pieces from tailoring shops.
The Municipal body has identified nearly 16 black spots, which remain unchanged despite multiple awareness campaigns and the imposition of fines. Citizens have reported that much of this waste is dumped during the late-night hours, with many alleging that the culprits are primarily outsiders.
It is important to note that the South Goa police have registered 7,342 cases under the Goa Non-Biodegradable Garbage (Control) Act, 1996, until December 18, 2024.
However, the problem of open garbage dumping continues to persist, particularly in Margao, a commercial hub that generates a significant amount of waste and is plagued by black spots.
As a commercial center, Margao sees increased waste generation, but as of December 17, 2024, only 572 cases of garbage dumping were recorded by the police.
Sagun Naik, a councillor, told O Heraldo that the civic body is doing a commendable job in regularly collecting waste. However, he pointed out that some individuals are still found dumping waste during the night.
“In the past, the civic body has monitored the situation regularly, but it’s impossible for the officials to keep constant vigilance every day,” Naik said. He also noted that recently, coconut shells have become the most common waste found in the black spots.
Ronny Fernandes, a resident of Fatorda, mentioned that waste can be regularly seen on the roadside near Durga Petrol Pump and the Tata Motors garage.
“What we’ve noticed is that the dumped waste is causing health hazards, particularly in residential areas. Shockingly, even after cleaning the black spots, waste reappears the very next morning,” Fernandes shared.
Shashank Shirwaikar, another concerned resident, urged the Municipal body and relevant authorities to come up with more systematic plans to prevent waste dumping on the roadsides.
Damodar Shirodkar, Chairperson of the Margao Municipal Council, stated that his team is working diligently to tackle the garbage menace on the roadside.
“We have apprehended several individuals, many of whom are from outside the Margao municipality jurisdiction. We’ve also observed that some hotel owners and chicken vendors from neighbouring villages are responsible for dumping waste along the municipality’s boundaries,” Shirodkar explained.
He also mentioned that compared to previous years, the situation is significantly better, but there is still work to be done.
