TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Goa government has identified 16 segregation and compositing sites near different beaches to treat tons of garbage, which would be collected especially during the tourist season.
Eight units in each of the two districts now await approval from the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority. The beach cleaning file has already been sent by Mumbai-based contractors Ram Engineering and Construction Company, and Bhumika Transport Waste Handling Service to the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority.
While in the north district, Morjim, Keri, Mandrem, Arambol, Vagator, Calangute, Candolim and Miramar beaches will be covered under the project; in South, the beaches include Velsao, Betalbatim, Colva, Sernabatim, Mobor, Agonda, Talpona and Rajbhag.
Company Director Manish Mohta said that sites at the crowded beaches have been allotted by the government to set up sheds for segregating waste before transporting it to solid waste management plants.
“We had requested the government to give us segregation sheds near beaches … the sites were identified following which we have sent a proposal to GCZMA for approval,” he said speaking to Herald.
Moreover, the contractor has separately applied for Consent to Operate under Water and Air Act to the Goa State Pollution Control Board to operate the solid waste management plant at Saligao. “The wet garbage will be treated at Saligao while dry waste will be sent to different recycling units,” Mohta added.
The tourism department informed that segregation activity is carried out at the beach sites wherein non-bio degradable waste is segregated and packed in polythene bags depending on the categories. The officials have ruled out any problem with the contractors over the garbage disposal with tourism director Ameya Abhyankar claiming that the beach cleaning exercise is working smoothly and the contractors are carrying out the segregation defined in the scope of work.
