Following the discontinuation of the garbage cleaning contract by the government, the North Goa beaches had mounds of garbage in the past three weeks. But today people can walk on the beaches after Drishti began the cleaning process.
A resident Jane Fernandes said, “Tourists visiting Goa will see the garbage but they don’t know the reason behind it. They won’t understand the system followed here. For them what matters is cleanliness. It’s almost the end of Dec and the peak tourist season. Arrangements should have been made before the start of season.”
By giving Drishti the beach cleaning responsibility on a temporary basis, the government could breadth easy but the long term issue remains. Locals said that the recently-formed garbage corporation should be responsible for garbage collection, but sources said the corporation is still not in place and it will take three to four months for it to being functioning.
Calangute MLA Michael Lobo said, “The cleaning contract of garbage has been given to Drishti on a temporary basis but the sole responsibility of garbage and its cleanliness should be taken by the Garbage Corporation. It will take more some months for this corporation to fall in place and till then Drishti is there. We have placed trucks of Swatch Bharat and even Panchayats.”
He added, “Drishti has already started with their work but they cannot cope up, since a huge quantity of garbage is piling up on beaches. Proper mechanism has to be placed and only the newly formed garbage cooperation will be able to take responsibility.”
Compared to the Calangute, Candolim, Baga and Sinquerim, the beaches in Pernem were cleaner. While Calangute had piles of garbage for more than two weeks, lesser garbage was seen on Morjim, Mandrem, Arambol and Keri beaches.
Siddesh Naik of Pernem said, “After seeing the garbage and comparing the situation to Calangute and Baga, the beaches of Pernem are quite clean and pleasant.”
