PANJIM: In what could be a nightmare for Panjim residents and hoteliers, the Corporation City of Panaji (CCP) has decided to stop the collection of wet garbage from housing societies and restaurants in its jurisdiction.
Panjim Mayor Uday Madkaikar said the decision has been taken as per the guidelines of Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal. “CCP has informed hotels and colonies to treat their garbage in their premises by having two meetings in eight months,” he said.
Justifying the decision, the Mayor said, “CCP is following the Supreme Court order. Eight months ago we had informed all hotels and societies regarding this. We have stopped wet garbage collection from all hotels and colonies. Few societies are left, that also we will stop soon,” Madkaikar said.
In May this year, then CCP Commissioner Shashank Tripathi issued notices to hotels and around 44 housing complexes within CCP’s jurisdiction. In the notice, the Commissioner had stated, “Whereas the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India vide notification dated 08/04/2016 has published the Solid Waste Management Rules 2016… Under the said rules all the bulk waste generators are mandated to treat and process bio-degradable waste within the premises.”
The notice further stated, “Pursuant to the above said rules you are hereby requested to set up a processing unit (composting /bio-methanisation) within your premises at your own cost, for treating of bio-degradable waste generated from the establishment, within a period of 15 days from the date of receipt of this notice, failing which the Corporation of the City of Panaji would not collect any bio-degradable waste generated from the premises.”
Interestingly then, the Mayor was against such a move stating the Commissioner had not taken the Corporators into confidence.
