PANJIM: In his first strong move against haphazard garbage disposal by vendors in the city, Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) Mayor Uday Madkaikar ordered the shutting down of handcarts near the market behind the Don Bosco campus.
However, later when a delegation of handcart vendors met the Mayor and assured to maintain the drains and monitor the garbage disposal, he allowed them to continue their business.
Speaking to Herald, Uday said that as part of the pre-monsoon works, drains across the city are being cleaned up and maintained, however, the plastic inside the drains where the handcarts have been allotted space was shocking.
“We were shocked to see the amount of slag that had got accumulated along with the plastic inside the drains. These handcart vendors throw away the left over in the drains. The straws, bottle caps, waste paper and so much more was inside the drains which over a period of time blocks the flow and during the monsoons we will have flooding,” he stated.
He further informed that cleaning of the drains cannot be carried out until the slag dries up and all the dry slag excavated. The impact of the haphazard disposal would be known only after cleaning the drains. He warned that strict action would be taken against those who create the nuisance.
He said that the handcarts were ordered to stop doing their business. However, later a delegation of handcart vendors met the Mayor and assured to maintain the drains and monitor the garbage disposal.
“On the assurance by the delegation, I have permitted the handcarts to continue their business but have warned against future lapses,” Uday added.
