Spots in Merces that had garbage dumped on them have begun wearing a clean look. This has nothing to do with the much-touted Swachh Bharat (Clean India) campaign, but is a movement of the local youth to keep garbage dumpers at bay.
It started with the Moloca youth blocking traffic along the road where waste was littered. Merces panchayat authorities stepped in and not only did they clear the waste in Moloca but in areas elsewhere in the village, which had turned into waste dumping grounds such as along the A Lua Road, Kumbarvaddy and Voilem Bhat.
Having tasted victory, the Moloca youth had another battle on their hands – maintaining the areas clean. To do that, the Moloca youth got together and started keeping vigil in their area, by taking turns.
Speaking to Herald, former panch Armstrong Braganza said that he along with other youth, namely Eutimio de Souza, Austin Fernandes, Assis Braganza, Jackson Costa, Caitan Costa, Mozin Braganza, Miguel Fernandes, Agnel Fernandes, Estan Ferrao, Menino Braganza, Celso D’Souza, Joaquim Ferrao, Bento and others, formed teams to keep vigil in Moloca where people used to dump garbage.
“We also go to the other areas, like A Lua Road and Kumbarvaddy to see that nobody dumps garbage in these areas,” Braganza said. “The youth from these areas should also come forward and keep vigil so that the village is kept clean,” he added.
“Many youth come to the Gram Sabha meeting and make a noise, and act as if they are really concerned about the welfare of the village,” Braganza said, questioning why these youths have not offered their help.
“Our vigilance begins as early as 5 am and ends at midnight,” said Eutimio de Souza. “Within a week, around 50 people, including a RTO official, were caught red-handed while dumping garbage.”
“We politely told these people that garbage dumping is not allowed in Merces and asked them to take their garbage along with them,” he said and showed a video of how a man who had dumped garbage was forced to put the garbage back in his car, and only then allowed to proceed.
“We have caught people from as far away as Old Goa and Goa Velha dumping garbage in Merces,” Souza stated and added that most of the offenders were from the neighbouring villages of Santa Cruz and Chimbel.
“We have also noticed that many people staying in rented premises and in flats, prefer to dispose their garbage by dumping it along roadsides,” he said.
Lauding the youth for the initiative, Merces Sarpanch Assis Fernandes said that if the people make an effort in keeping the village clean, then the issue of garbage will definitely be solved.
“I have also joined the youth from Temba in keeping vigil in our area,” he said, adding that former Sarpanch Walter D’Sousa keeps vigil along the A Lua Road. Former Sarpanch Prakash Naik along with his team also keeps vigil at Voilem Bhat.
Fernandes appealed to the people not to dump their garbage along the roadside, but instead hand it over to the panchayat workers who collect dry waste in the village, excluding glass and pampers.
