Until a few years ago, garbage disposal was one of the biggest problems in Ponda. The scene is now different, with the Ponda Municipal Council (PMC) collecting, segregating and treating garbage at its plant in Kerya, Khandepar. However, the PMC is yet to curb incidents of garbage dumping as well as the stench emanating from the plant.
Around four years ago, the situation in Ponda with regards to garbage was deplorable. In the absence of a garbage treatment plant, people used to dump waste on any open space, including on the roadsides. The waste used to pile up for a few days and and release an unbearable stench, besides attract stray animals.
When the workers collected the garbage, it was not segregated; the PMC used to collect wet and dry garbage and dump the same either on private land – for which it paid monthly rent – or acquired land near residential areas.
Fights often used to break out between locals and the garbage collectors. Residents of Curti, Bondbag, Bethora, Kodar, and Kerya often blocked and damaged the garbage collection vehicles.
Presently, most city roads look clean thanks to the municipality. While many municipalities in Goa still face garbage disposal problems, Ponda is one of the few who have it under control. The PMC had even received two awards from Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA) and Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) for maintaining cleanliness in the city.
Venkatesh Naik, former chairman of the PMC’s garbage disposal committee, stated that garbage disposal was a major problem in Ponda four years ago. At that time, the municipality had 14 wards and a population of around 30,000.
“Earlier, people in every ward used to oppose even a mini garbage treatment plant in their area, fearing an unbearable stench. So three or four years ago, I started the first Organic Waste Convertor (OWC) in my ward to dispose of wet garbage. In the same year, PMC installed an OWC in the basement of the Ponda market, where wet garbage from all wards is treated after segregation,” said Naik.
He continued, “After a year, PMC shifted its OWC to Kerya, Khandepar, where wet garbage is treated, while dry waste is sent to GSPCB. There is systematic garbage collection by workers, and dustbins are provided for wet and dry garbage at source. PMC is trying to make the treatment site stench-free so that the people of Kerya do not suffer. Recently, some locals complained of stench emanating from the site. PMC Chief Officer Johnson Fernandes assured to look into matter.”
Claiming that the situation had changed in recent years, Naik stated that municipal workers undertake door-to-door garbage collection and clean the city regularly. However, he added that stray incidents of garbage dumping continue to take place.
He also stated that the PMC is trying to create awareness about garbage in accordance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Swachh Bharat campaign. He added that the government should educate students about segregation, disposal and treatment of garbage, and that imbibing such values at an early age will make the students responsible citizens who maintain cleanliness in their areas.
Incidentally, about 4.5 to 5 tonnes of garbage is generated in Ponda every day. To encourage the residents to segregate their garbage, the PMC has distributed 6,000 bins each for dry and wet waste to households. Naik added that after 4 – 5 tonnes of wet waste is treated at the OWC, around 1.5 – 2 tonnes of manure is generated, which is beneficial for farmers.
