CANACONA: It is not often that tourism/shack operators take a solemn pledge to abstain from haphazardly discarding garbage in the area. However, at an unusual meet, jointly attended by the Goa State Pollution Control Board and the Canacona Municipal Council (CMC) on Thursday, about 60 tourism/shack operators went even as far as “calling upon God to punish them by burning them in hot oil,” if they went against
their pledge.
The 60-odd tourism/shack operators along Canacona municipal coast took the pledge after admitting that the garbage menace had seriously affected tourism trade in the area.
Brokering the joint meeting between the GSPCB and tourism traders at Canacona, the CMC informed the shack operators about the systematic collection of segregated garbage from beaches in the municipal coast, including Palolem beach.
The officials present at the meet included GSPCB Network Assistant Chetan Upadhyay, Junior Assistant Engineer Ashley Pereira, Garbage Consultant for Municipalities Kishore Naik, CMC Chairperson Simon Rebello, CMC Chief Officer Sudhin Natu, Municipal Inspector Yesso Dessai and Supervisor Krishna Dessai.
Most tourism operators present at the meet agreed that haphazard garbage disposal was one of the main reasons for the poor turnout of tourists this season and admitted that they were primarily responsible for the situation.
They urged the civic body to take corrective measures and assured to adhere to them.
A prominent shack operator, Jack Fernandes, who along with his colleague had engaged workers to clear garbage in various parts of Canacona municipality, then rose from his seat and asked fellow tourism operators to take an ‘oath’ to keep Canacona clean and tidy.
Responding to his call, all shack operators present at the meeting then took the oath: “Henceforth on oath, we pledge that we will not throw waste garbage waywardly, but will honestly segregate it and deposit only at the provided garbage bins. In case we fail to adhere to healthy garbage disposal practice, we call upon God to punish us by burning us in hot oil.”
Earlier, GSPCB officials explained the approved measures in segregating and disposing garbage.
Natu informed the shack operators that those willing to deposit garbage at the Dumane garbage treatment plant (DGTP) in their own vehicles would need CMC permission. These vehicles would then be issued with CMC passes and allowed entry at the DGTP.
Expressing satisfaction at the meet, Rebello said that a serious initiative to resolve garbage issue would begin from February 1.
