TEAM HERALD
PORVORIM: The Sunrise Club at Porvorim has complained about rampant garbage dumping in Housing Board Colony.
In a letter to the Penha da Franca sarpanch, Sunrise Club Secretary Shantanu Chopdekar stated that there has been “extensive dumping of garbage behind the Kavlekar Super Market since the last one month from all 10 wards. “There is bad stench coming from that area which can be felt up to the Maruti temple. Decomposing garbage and other solid waste can attract rats and other rodents, while hazardous materials illegally dumped can affect the health of people.”
“Some nights, we find this garbage is set on fire. The poisonous gases that are generated from this fire are left for surrounding residents to inhale,” Chopdekar added.
Copies of the complaint have been forwarded to Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte, the Goa Housing Board, Health Department and the GSPCB.
When contacted, Penha da Franca Sarpanch Blanch D’Souza clarified that the panchayat had stopped dumping garbage behind Kavlekar Super Market.
“The garbage lying there is old and the panchayat is in the process of clearing it. The panchayat has already started collecting garbage on a door-to-door basis and has fixed the fees for the collection of waste at Rs 60 (if paid monthly), Rs 150 (if paid quarterly), Rs 300 (if paid half-yearly) and Rs 500 (if paid yearly),” said D’Souza.
“The village panchayat has appointed Farooq Nadaf as the waste management supervisor to collect garbage and residents have been requested to keep two bins (1 for dry and 1 for wet waste) to segregate garbage.” “If the people segregate the garbage, it will be easier for the panchayat to dispose off the garbage. Despite requests from the panchayat, some people dump garbage in open spaces, D’Souza added.
