The Mormugao Municipal Council has a waste treatment plant but faces public criticism because of the old vehicles used for garbage collection.
The solid waste treatment is also in a bad shape, but the MMC is facing the flak because the vehicles break down at regular intervals.
A month back, the municipal authorities had to face public criticism due to the breakdown of all the garbage collection vehicles, inspite of claiming 70% success in implementing the door to door garbage collection scheme
The civic body currently has five compactors, and four open trucks used dedicatedly for the purpose of garbage collection. However, all these vehicles are over 15-20 years due to which they break down frequently.
“A month ago our senior officials had asked us to prepare a budget estimate for the repairs of these vehicles. However, as the same was estimated to cost around Rs 20 lakh. The existing vehicles are very old, repair works won’t be as easy, as the spare parts for such old model vehicles are not easily available,” said a municipal officer.
Herald learns that on December 12, 2012, DMA had given its approval to MMC to purchase trucks and compactors but the old council failed to buy the same. This is because it failed to complete all the formalities and the file, having DMA approval, four years ago is still pending.
“Now it has been decided that the DMA office itself would purchase the vehicles and give them to the council. The process has already started and soon MMC will get some vehicles to solve the long pending issue,” said Vasco MLA Carlos Almeida.
After taking over, Chairperson Deepak Naik had boldly promised to the people of port town that he would initiate all steps to fulfill the dream of making Vasco a garbage free city, within six months. However, like his predecessor, he too has realised that making good this promise is easier said than done. His contention is that the door to door garbage collection has to be strictly implemented and the old garbage collecting vehicles issue is resolved.
In a desperate move, the MMC chairperson has now started knocking the doors of corporate and business houses operating from Vasco to donate a vehicle to MMC under CSR funds.
“How we are supposed to lift the garbage without a proper vehicle. It is easy for the people to criticize the civic body but people are not aware that we have been collecting garbage with vehicles that are not only old but are also unfit to move on the roads,” MMC Chairperson Deepak Naik told Herald.
“Since we need vehicles on priority, I have been knocking the doors of the corporate houses, oil companies besides shipyards operating from port town to help the council by donating a vehicle that would be used only for the purpose of garbage collection,” Naik added.
Till then, the helpless MMC would continue to use these old vehicles till they are replaced with new ones. Till then, the dream of garbage free Vasco will be in the bin.
